Iran says nuclear warhead allegations a 'lie'

[cal04]

Iran has hit back at US allegations it is working on nuclear warhead designs, dismissing the latest claims as a "lie". "One word - it's a lie. It needs no more explanation," Iranian foreign ministry spokesman Hamid Reza Asefi told reporters.
Diplomats and analysts at the headquarters of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) said the US had briefed key nations on intelligence it claimed shows Iranian atomic weapons work.

The US allegations centre around information purported to show Iranian research on getting a missile warhead to explode at an altitude that would maximise the blast of a nuclear explosion. Iran says its nuclear program is a strictly peaceful effort to develop atomic power in order to generate electricity and rejects US charges that it is secretly developing nuclear weapons.

The briefings ahead of an IAEA board meeting in September were part of campaigning for a resolution that found Iran in non-compliance with international nuclear safeguards and could lead to referring Tehran to the UN Security Council for possible sanctions. Mr Asefi meanwhile congratulated the UN nuclear watchdog and its head, Mohamed ElBaradei, for winning the Nobel Peace Prize, but nevertheless reiterated Iran's concerns that the agency could buckle to US pressure in its investigation of the Islamic republic.

"We congratulate ElBaradei, but we do not want the IAEA to drift from its professional standards or from its duties. We hope ElBaradei can keep the agency from political games," Mr Asefi said. "We have had constructive cooperation with the IAEA and will continue. As we have said before our case should have been closed earlier."

http://www.abc.net.au/news/newsitems/200510/s1478018.htm

[norml]

1. Don't let superpowers steer UN atomic policy -Iran

Don't let superpowers steer UN atomic policy -Iran
Sun Oct 9, 2005 9:44 AM ET


TEHRAN (Reuters) - Iran warned Nobel Peace Prize winner Mohamed ElBaradei on Sunday not to let the policies of the U.N. atomic watchdog be steered by superpowers that want Tehran hauled before the U.N. Security Council.

Iran was slow to react to the awarding of this year's peace prize to ElBaradei and the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) which he heads. The IAEA has been investigating U.S. charges that Tehran is seeking nuclear arms.

Foreign Ministry spokesman Hamid Reza Asefi, who declined to comment when ElBaradei won the award on Friday, offered guarded praise in Iran's first official response.

"We congratulate Mr ElBaradei ... but he should try not to let the IAEA fall into the hands of the great powers," he told a news conference.

The IAEA has been investigating Iran's nuclear program for almost three years and last month its 35-member board of governors passed a resolution which could see Tehran's case referred to the U.N. Security Council for sanctions.


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http://today.reuters.com/news/newsArticle.aspx?type=worldNews&storyID=2005-10-09T134437Z_01_WRI949453_RTRUKOC_0_US-NUCLEAR-IRAN-ELBARADEI.xml

[TexasLawyer]

2. US Credibility

How can anyone believe official US accusations after the blatant lies that this administration told about Iraq's alleged WMDs? And the way the administration punished anyone who tried to un-make the case for war against Iraq.

I'll believe the Scott Ritters and ElBaradeis of the world before I believe the Rumsfelds and the Bushes.