Iran 'closer to nuclear bomb'
2007-10-26 18:48
Brussels - Iran may be closer to
developing nuclear weapons than three to eight years believed by
the UN nuclear watchdog, the country's emigre opposition said
on Friday.
And changing Iran's chief nuclear negotiator, Ali Larijani,
showed the country no longer needed to play for time in
negotiations to push ahead with its nuclear programme, the
National Council of Resistance of Iran said.
The group was the first to report in 2002 the existence in
Iran of uranium enrichment facility at Natanz and heavy water
plant at Arak, facilities the West suspects could be used for
the production of the atomic bomb.
Tehran insists its activities are peaceful.
Plenty of time
"According to our intelligence, the Iranian regime is closer
to having a bomb than what Mr ElBaradei says," the Council's
expert, Alireza Jafarzadeh, told a news conference, referring to
Mohamed ElBaradei, the chief of the International Atomic Energy
Agency.
ElBaradei said this week there was still plenty of time for
diplomacy, sanctions, dialogue and incentives to bear fruit in
negotiations with Iran, but the Council disagreed.
"We are talking about last minutes to prevent the Iran
regime from having a bomb," Jafarzadeh said.
"By replacing Larijani with another revolutionary guard
commander, the Iranian regime has sent a very clear message that
it is closer to a bomb, as there is no need for negotiations as
was the case in previous years," he added.
Iran's new chief negotiator, Saeed Jalili, is a close ally
of hardline President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad.
Welcomed sanctions
The Council also welcomed new sanctions against Teheran
imposed by the United States on Thursday, saying they would hit
the operations of Iran's Revolutionary Guard.
Washington accused the Revolutionary Guard of spreading
weapons of mass destruction and labelled Iran's Qods military
force a supporter of terrorism
"The designation of the Revolutionary Guard and other
related entities ... is important.
"It harms the Revolutionary
Guards' significant financial resources, puts a squeeze on them,
makes their operations very difficult," said Jafarzadeh.