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13 September 2004

Powell Says Iran Apparently Moving Forward with Nuclear Program

Says U.S. is urging U.N. Security Council to address Iranian nuclear issue

Secretary of State Colin Powell says Iran appears to be moving forward with its nuclear program, which could lead to the development of nuclear weapons.

"[I]t is for that reason that we have been applying pressure to the international community through the IAEA to refer this matter to the United Nations Security Council," Powell said at a stakeout after a television appearance on Fox News Sunday September 12.

Following is an excerpt from Powell's comments at the stakeout:

(begin excerpt)

QUESTION: Mr. Secretary, on Iran. Are you willing to set a deadline for Iran to comply regarding its nuclear weapons program or nuclear programs? And, if so, would this be ahead of the IAEA meeting in November?

SECRETARY POWELL: There is an IAEA meeting that begins tomorrow, and we are in consultations with our friends in the European Union and with other members of the IAEA Board of Governors to see what actions should be taken. We believe that Iran should meet its obligations to the IAEA and the commitments it made to the European foreign ministers who have been in negotiations with Iran.

I hope that Iran will act in a responsible way. But our information suggests that Iran is moving forward with a nuclear program that could lead to the development of nuclear weapons, and it is for that reason that we have been applying pressure to the international community through the IAEA to refer this matter to the United Nations Security Council. And this will be a subject of discussion at the IAEA meeting beginning next week, this coming week, and of course, there is another IAEA meeting in November. We'll just have to see how all these meetings turn out.

(end excerpt)

(Distributed by the Bureau of International Information Programs, U.S. Department of State. Web site: http://usinfo.state.gov)

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