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December 5, 2007

Ahmadinejad Says US Nuclear Assessment is Victory for Iran
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http://enews.voanews.com/t?ctl=1A7A404:A6F02AD83191E1603B25AD8517F76E0E70AD7039DCD7B7E4& National
Intelligence Estimate report released this week says Iran stopped a
secret nuclear weapons program four years ago







Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, center, greets his supporters
in Ilam province in western Iran, 05 Dec 2007Iranian President Mahmoud
Ahmadinejad says the new U.S. intelligence report on Tehran's nuclear
program is "a victory" for the Iranian nation against world powers.

Speaking in western Ilam province Wednesday, Mr. Ahmadinejad also said
Iran will not retreat "one step" in its pursuit of peaceful nuclear
technology.

The U.S. National Intelligence Estimate released this week says Iran
stopped a secret nuclear weapons program four years ago -
contradicting the Bush administration's charge that Iran was actively
seeking nuclear weapons..

President Bush said Tuesday that he views the new assessment as a
"warning signal" that Iran could restart its weapons program. He said
the U.S. will continue efforts to rally the international community to
push Iran to stop enriching uranium - a key process to develop fuel
for nuclear weapons.

Commenting on the latest U.S. assessment, Russian Foreign Minister
Sergei Lavrov said Wednesday that Russia has seen no evidence that
Iran ever had a nuclear weapons program.

The International Atomic Energy Agency says the new U.S. assessment
validates agency statements that inspectors have found no secret
nuclear program in Iran, and that there is no imminent danger, leaving
time for negotiations.

The U.S. intelligence estimate says Iran would likely be capable of
producing enough enriched uranium for a nuclear weapon between 2010
and 2015.



Some information for this report was provided by Reuters, AP and AFP


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