• Military

• WMD Menu                           

• Introduction
• Systems
• Facilities
• Agencies
• Operations
• Countries
• Hot Documents
• News
• Reports
• Policy
• Budget
• Congress
• Links

• Intelligence
• Homeland Security
• Space

Bush Says IAEA Decision Sends Clear Message To Iran

5 February 2006 -- U.S. President George W. Bush says a decision by the United Nations' nuclear watchdog to refer Iran to the UN Security Council sends a clear message the world will not permit Tehran to gain nuclear weapons.

Bush's written statement came after 27 of the 35 states on the board of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) voted to send the issue of Iran's nuclear program to the Security Council. Sanctions could follow. However, the resolution also put off any action until a report is delivered by the IAEA chief Muhammad el-Baradei at the next IAEA meeting, on 6 March.

U.S. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice said the United States hopes Iran will heed the "clear message" from the IAEA.

However, shortly after the vote, Iranian President Mahmud Ahmadinejad ordered the resumption of uranium enrichment. Iranian sate television said Ahmadinejad had also ordered an end to unannounced inspections of its facilities by UN nuclear inspectors. The measures came into effect on 5 February.

(Reuters, AP, AFP)

Copyright (c) 2006. RFE/RL, Inc. Reprinted with the permission of Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty, 1201 Connecticut Ave., N.W. Washington DC 20036. www.rferl.org