Iran probably 3-8 years off nuclear bomb: IAEA

[Eugene]

Source: Reuters

Iran probably 3-8 years off nuclear bomb: IAEA
Thu May 24, 2007 8:48AM EDT

By Mark John

LUXEMBOURG (Reuters) - Iran is probably three to eight
years away from producing a nuclear bomb if it so chooses,
the head of the U.N.'s nuclear watchdog warned on
Thursday.

Underlining what he said was the growing risk of a major
confrontation with the West and Iran, International Atomic
Energy Agency head Mohamed ElBaradei appealed for the
two sides to restart negotiations on a compromise as soon
as possible.

"I tend, based on our analysis, to agree with people like
John Negroponte and the new director of the CIA, who are
saying that even if Iran wanted to go for a nuclear weapon,
it would not be before the end of this decade or sometime
in the middle of the next decade. In other words three to
eight years from now," ElBaradei told a news conference
in Luxembourg.

"Iran needs to suspend its enrichment activities as a
confidence-building measure but the international community
should do its utmost to engage Iran in comprehensive
dialogue," ElBaradei told a conference on nuclear non-
proliferation.

-snip-

Read more: http://www.reuters.com/article/worldNews/idUSL2444212020070524

---

Source: The Guardian

12.45pm
Iran 'three to eight years' away from nuclear weapon

Mark Tran
Thursday May 24, 2007
Guardian Unlimited

Iran is between three and eight years away from producing a
nuclear weapon if it chooses to do so, the International
Atomic Energy Agency said today.

-snip-

However, he said the agency had seen no evidence that Iran
was trying to "weaponise" nuclear material or of undeclared
nuclear facilities operating in the country.

-snip-

Read more: http://www.guardian.co.uk/iran/story/0,,2087272,00.html

---

Source: Associated Press

Iran vows to press ahead on nukes

By NASSER KARIMI, Associated Press Writer
1 hour, 50 minutes ago

TEHRAN, Iran - President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad on Thursday
vowed to push ahead with Iran's nuclear program, saying the
West is trying to stop it to prevent Iran from emerging as
a world power.

The hard-line president's comments came a day after the U.N.
nuclear watchdog agency issued a strongly critical report
that could trigger new sanctions against Iran. The report
said the country has expanded its uranium enrichment program
in defiance of U.N. demands for a suspension, and it warned
that the watchdog's knowledge of Iran's activities was
shrinking.

In a speech to a gathering of Iran's elite Revolutionary Guards,
Ahmadinejad ruled out any temporary suspension, saying,
"If we stop for a while, they (Iran's enemies) will achieve
their goals. The enemy wants Iran to surrender so it won't
have any say in the world."

-snip-

Read more: http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20070524/ap_on_re_mi_ea/iran_nuclear

[dave_p]

1. Pakistan's nine years beyond its bomb

Pakistan's rulers got their bomb in 1998 with only token sanctions, abandoned in 2001 as the price of cooperation in the Afghanistan invasion.

Yes, that Pakistan, the country whose intelligence agency funnelled US cash and arms to bin Laden in the late 80s. The Pakistan whose government-encouraged Saudi-funded madrassas turned out countless thousands of brainwashed jihadis. The Pakistan that remained pals with the Taliban until after 911. The Pakistan that's still considered a US ally.

Iran meanwhile is the country that wanted to smash the Taliban in 1998 while Washington was happy to fire off a few missiles. It's the country that helped the US put together the present political setup in post-Taliban Afghanistan. It's the country whose offer to settle all disputes was rejected by Bush in 2003.

I know which I trust more.

[FogerRox]

2. LBN, not really, I've been counting the centrifuges Iran claims to have

operational for a while. IIRC between 200 & 500. A real bomb program needs oh ... I dunno... 10,000.

[ShortnFiery]

3. This issue is moot. IMO Pakistan is more of a danger because of it's POLITICAL instability. n/t