Admiral Mike Mullen told CNN that a nuclear-armed Iran would be a "very, very bad outcome", apparently confirming a report by the UN's nuclear watchdog that its uranium enrichment was more advanced than previously thought.
It was the first such public assessment of Iran's nuclear capability by the US, though there was no indication whether it was based on independent intelligence.
Mullen's remarks came after a report two weeks ago by the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), that said Tehran had made significant advances in enrichment. It claimed an increase in Iran's reported stockpile of low-enriched uranium at its Natanz plant since last November to 1,010 kg - technically enough, say some physicists, for conversion into high-enriched uranium for one bomb.
Asked if Iran had enough material to manufacture a bomb, Mullen said yesterday: "We think they do, quite frankly. Iran having a nuclear weapon, I believe, for a long time, is a very, very bad outcome for the region and for the world."
Iran insists it does not intend to build nuclear weapons but is pursuing its legitimate right to process uranium for power plants like the one at Bushehr on the Persian Gulf coast that was fired up in a trial run last week.
This world is going crazy !!!
