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Last update - 00:33 07/12/2007
U.S. intel official warns Iranian nuclear ambitions aren't 'benign'
By Haaretz Service and News Agencies
Tags: Iran, Nicolas Sarkozy 

Iran retains key nuclear capabilities despite having frozen weapons development in 2003, and its ambitions cannot be considered benign, a
senior U.S. intelligence official told Congress on Thursday.

The deputy director of National Intelligence, Donald Kerr, told a House of Representatives Intelligence subcommittee that there was reason to believe Iran still wanted an ability to make nuclear weapons.
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He was responding to a Republican lawmaker who questioned the accuracy of an official U.S. National Intelligence Estimate, released on Monday, released on Monday that said U.S. agencies did not know whether Iran intended to develop a nuclear weapon.

Meanwhile, German Chancellor Angela Merkel on Thursday urged continued international pressure on Iran, saying the country remains a danger.

"I think we are in a process and that Iran continues to pose a danger, said in Paris at a joint news conference with French President Nicolas Sarkozy in response to a new U.S. intelligence report indicating Iran stopped nuclear weapons development in 2003.

Merkel did not specifically express support for a new United Nations sanctions resolution against Iran, but said: "We and our partners would like to continue with the UN process."

Sarkozy has continued to support the U.S.-led push for sanctions even after release of the U.S. report.

At Thursday's press conference, Merkel and Sarkozy urged a two-pronged approach of pressure and negotiations with Iran. "I think we and our partners need to continue to seek dialogue with Iran, Merkel said.

She praised Russia and China's cooperation in talks with Iran, saying that both dialogue and pressure from the UN Security Council were needed in the future.

"Those are the two main pillars of how we plan to proceed and we are in agreement on this," Merkel said.

Their statements came as a boost to the U.S. administration. The U.S. report reversed earlier American statements about Iran's nuclear threat, and raised worries that the international push for a third round of UN sanctions against Iran would lose steam.

The United States, France, Britain, Germany, Russia and China are in discussions about a third UN Security Council resolution sanctioning Iran for its refusal to comply with demands it halt uranium enrichment. Iran insists the activity is aimed at producing energy, but it can also be used for a weapons program.

U.S. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice, meanwhile, began talks Thursday in Brussels with European and Russian officials to urge greater international pressure on Iran to halt uranium enrichment and answer questions about its nuclear programs.

Prime Minister Ehud Olmert on Tuesday, following publication of the report, called for tighter international sanctions in order to ensure the Islamic republic can never acquire nuclear weapons.

"We discussed this report with leaders of the [U.S.] administration," Olmert told reporters. "It is vital to pursue efforts to prevent Iran from developing a capability like this and we will continue doing so along with our friends the United States."

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      1.   The case for war against Iran summarised 21:45  |  Clickfool 06/12/07
      2.   This issue will of necessity be ultimately resolved by Israel. 22:42  |  bat yam 06/12/07
      3.   LOLZ... Grasping at straws now. Chill out Israeli Warmongers... 22:44  |  POP 06/12/07
      4.   Re: Iran 22:52  |  Neutral Observer 06/12/07
      5.   NU? Linthwaite, Clickfool, Lincoln? Monolithic End of Neocons? 23:01  |  Ovadiah ben Avraham 06/12/07
      6.   #1 Fool: No Evidence? Even Russia Supported 2 Rounds of Sanctions 23:08  |  Ovadiah ben Avraham 06/12/07
      7.   Clickfool 23:23  |  James 06/12/07
      8.   #4 neutral and naive! 23:38  |  DR 06/12/07
      9.   How long 23:38  |  Espart 06/12/07
      10.   Clickfool and POP summarised! 23:39  |  DR 06/12/07
      11.   Ovadiah ben Avraham 23:45  |  Greg 06/12/07
      12.   Neutral Observer 23:51  |  BRL 06/12/07
      13.   N.I.E. meltdown 00:02  |  Judah N. Wenkel 07/12/07
      14.   #5 Ovadiah ben Avraham 00:03  |  Chris Linthwaite 07/12/07
      15.   Israel will select the president for US 00:18  |  Yahoo 07/12/07
      16.   To #4, So Much for being a neutral observer 00:57  |  Dave 07/12/07
      17.   To ClickFool: its worse than this 01:31  |  A Lebanese 07/12/07
      18.   The dust will settle, and Iran will remind some idiots its nature 01:34  |  Fortuna Benmayor 07/12/07
      19.   Facts for Ovadiah ben Avraham 01:46  |  A Lebanese 07/12/07
      20.   The prostitute of a liar askes you to hate the cops 04:11  |  Mark Lincoln 07/12/07
      21.   Israeli intelligence kept a secret! 05:03  |  Fred Omran 07/12/07
      22.   Umm, errr?Its not REALLY nuclear weapons 05:21  |  joebhed 07/12/07
      23.   James ? evidence of what? 05:33  |  joebhed 07/12/07
      24.   A Lebanese # 19 05:35  |  Philippe 07/12/07
      25.   To Philippe - Check your facts, tehy are "des petards mouilles" 02:19  |  A Lebanese 08/12/07
      26.   Iran`s alleged nukes 08:08  |  Ziggy 08/12/07
      27.   Response to Philippe 08:18  |  Ziggy 08/12/07
      28.   U.S. intel warns Iranian nuclear........ 23:44  |  Martin List,M.D. 08/12/07
      29.   CAUSES of War, 23:37  |  The Teacher/Instruct 09/12/07
      30.   #4, James 11:54  |  Drumstick 11/06/08
      31.   I meant DR of course, not James 11:55  |  Drumstick 11/06/08
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