CIA chief: No proof of Iranian A-bomb

CIA chief: No proof of Iranian A-bomb
Fri, 16 Jan 2009 19:35:09 GMT

The Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) says there is no evidence that proves Tehran is edging towards developing nuclear weapons.

Departing CIA Director Michael Hayden said Thursday that the Islamic Republic's production of low-enriched uranium does not necessarily substantiate an Iranian objective to build atomic weaponry.

He said that even if the country does gain the capability to create highly enriched uranium, still there is no “clear proof” that Iran will use the material to fuel a nuclear warhead.

Washington accuses Tehran of developing a nuclear military program. Iran, a signatory to the nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT), insists its program is poised for the civilian applications of the technology.

This is while UN nuclear watchdog Director General Mohamed ElBaradei disputed Western claims and ruled out suggestions that the Iranian nuclear program should be considered hostile.

"They [Iranians], as I just recently mentioned still don't even have the nuclear material, the low-enriched uranium, to develop one nuclear weapon," he said in an address to the London City Hall.

"But even if they decide to walk out tomorrow from the Non-Proliferation Treaty - and you go into a lot of scenarios - it is not that we are going to see Iran tomorrow having nuclear weapons."

The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), which has extensively monitored Iran's nuclear work since 2003, said in its latest report that it could not find any 'components of a nuclear weapon' or 'related nuclear physics studies' in the country.

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