Faux News: Iran 'Determined' to Produce Nuclear Weapons

http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,178259,00.html

Iran 'Determined' to Produce Nuclear Weapons
Associated Press

WASHINGTON — Iran is closing in on production of nuclear weapons and even U.N. sanctions may not deter the aggressive government in Tehran, a top State Department official said Friday.

Describing the Iranian government as "very aggressive, very determined to develop nuclear weapons," Robert Joseph, undersecretary for arms control and international security, dismissed Iran's contention that it seeks only civilian nuclear power.

"We know this is not the case," Joseph said at the University of Virginia's Miller Center in Charlottesville.

Iran has methodically taken all but one last step to turn out nuclear weapons, he said. "Once they begin to enrich, that is the point of no return."

<http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2005/12/09/AR2005120900947.html>

U.S. Official Says Iran 'Very Aggressive'

By BARRY SCHWEID
The Associated Press
Friday, December 9, 2005; 12:42 PM

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...Speaking Friday in Oslo, Norway, Nobel Peace Prize laureate Mohamed ElBaradei said the international community was losing patience with Iran over its nuclear program.

ElBaradei, head of the International Atomic Energy Agency, said he hopes the outstanding nuclear issues with Iran will be clarified next year.

"They are inching forward and I'm asking them to leap forward," said ElBaradei, who shares the award with the IAEA.

He said he hopes outstanding nuclear issues with Tehran will be clarified by the time he presents his next report on Iran in March, because "the international community is losing patience with the nature of that program."

"The ball is in Iran's court. It is up to Iran to show the kind of transparency they need to show," ElBaradei told reporters.

He encouraged European negotiators to continue talks with Iran.