US: Burden on Iran to Show World it Doesn't Have Nuclear Weapons
http://enews.voanews.com/t?ctl=C02640:2F72C9DEuropeans set to press Tehran to reach agreement on nuclear program;
Iran, France, Germany and Britain head back to the negotiating table
next week
This is a Feb. 12 satellite image released by Digital Globe and
annotated by the Institute for Science and International Security of
the Uranium Conversion Facility
Iran, France, Germany and Britain head back to the negotiating table
next week - with the Europeans set to press Tehran to reach an
agreement on its nuclear program
The United States is not scheduled to take part in the talks, but
backs European efforts to reach a long-term solution. The U.S.
government says it is Iran's responsibility to prove to the world that
it doesn't have nuclear weapons capabilities.
The United States accuses Iran of secretly developing a nuclear
weapons program and lying to International Atomic Energy Agency
inspectors about it. Iran denies these charges and says its
nuclear program is only designed to generate electricity.
State Department spokesperson Richard Boucher says the burden is on
Iran to show the world that it means what it says. “Iran claims it
doesn't want a nuclear weapon,” he said. “They should be going
out of their way to demonstrate to the world, to show the world with
confidence that is true. They've been found for 20 years in
covert programs.”
The IAEA says Iran has hidden nuclear activities for almost 20
years. Agency Chief Mohamed ElBaradei has called on Iran to
provide a full accounting of its nuclear activities to IAEA
inspectors, but it's unclear if Iran will cooperate.
Earlier this week Iran threatened to break seals put in place by IAEA
inspectors and test essential parts for machines for nuclear
work. Meanwhile, satellite images indicate that Iran has begun
construction on a second nuclear facility, which could be used to
produce bomb-grade plutonium
Western diplomats close to the IAEA said Friday that Iran is building
deep tunnels to store nuclear material at a site where it is known to
have carried out uranium enrichment activities. They speculate
the tunnels are to hide and protect nuclear components from a possible
aerial strike by the United States or Israel
State Department spokesperson Richard Boucher said these all fit into
the pattern that Iran has followed over the years, to say one thing
and do another
"There are repeated situations where Iran has been found to not be
disclosing the whole truth about its programs, which continues to
raise questions about Iran,” he added. “And so rather than
making statements that raise further questions about their intentions,
one would think that if Iran were really sincere about what it has
promised, they would be going out of their way to show that they were
not seeking a nuclear weapon. They would be going out of their
way to build confidence in the international community." After
meeting with European leaders late last month, President Bush said
they all agree that Iran should not have nuclear weapons. There
is speculation that the Bush Administration may agree to drop its
opposition to Iran joining the World Trade Organization if Tehran
agrees to dismantle its nuclear weapons program.