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U.S. criticizes Iran on nuke program+(Japan Economic Newswire Via Thomson Dialog NewsEdge)WASHINGTON, Feb. 13_(Kyodo) _ The United States criticized Iran on Monday for its "defiance" of international demands that Tehran abandon its nuclear ambitions, after Iran resumed uranium-enrichment experiments earlier in the day. "What you see coming from the regime is continued defiance of the world, a continued disregard for their international obligation, and a continued thumbing of their nose to what the world has demanded," White House spokesman Scott McClellan told reporters. Diplomatic sources said that Iran has resumed uranium enrichment experiments, despite calls by the international community that it should refrain from doing so. Uranium enrichment is a crucial step in the development of nuclear weapons. On Feb. 4, the International Atomic Energy Agency reported Iran to the U.N. Security Council for its refusal to abide by its obligations under the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty. But the council said it will not take action against Tehran until the next IAEA report in March. Sanctions are among the options open to the Security Council if Iran fails to cooperate. Iran has said it has the right to enrich uranium for the purpose of peaceful nuclear energy, but the United States said it believes Iran is experimenting with enrichment in order to develop nuclear weapons. U.S. State Department spokesman Sean McCormack reiterated Monday Washington's position on Iran's enrichment activities, but also said the United States would wait for the IAEA's March report to push for more action against Tehran. "If true, their decision to restart enrichment-related activities would seem to be a step in the wrong direction. It would seem to be a step in the direction of further isolating the Iranian people from the rest of the world," McCormack said. A British newspaper, the Sunday Telegraph, quoting a senior U.S. Defense Department official, reported Sunday that the United States was preparing a plan to strike Iranian nuclear weapons sites with bombers and cruise missiles as a "last resort" if diplomatic efforts to prevent Tehran developing a nuclear weapon fail. |