Originally published by the Voice of America (www.voanews.com). Voice of America is funded by the US Federal Government and content it exclusively produces is in the public domain. March 2, 2009 Clinton Said to Doubt Iran Warming to US ---------------------------------------- http://enews.voanews.com/t?ctl=229E29E:A6F02AD83191E16004BEB220FBFCA35CC030207A0BD70133& US official says Clinton's doubts that Tehran will respond to any engagement were meant to allay UAE concerns regarding Iran A senior U.S. official said Secretary of State Hillary Clinton has downplayed the possibility of Iran taking the United States up on an offer of dialogue. The official, in Sharm el-Sheikh, Egypt, with Clinton, quoted the secretary of state as saying she was under no illusions about the Iranian government, and that she doubts it will respond to any kind of engagement. Sec. of State Hillary Clinton (L) meets with UAE FM Sheik Abdullah bin Zayed Al Nahyan in Sharm el- Sheik, 02 Mar 2009The official spoke on condition of anonymity, adding that Clinton made the comments during a private conversation to allay the concerns of the foreign minister of the United Arab Emirates. Breaking with the previous administration, U.S. President Barack Obama has said his administration is willing to engage with Iran, in a relationship strained most recently by Tehran's nuclear program. Earlier in the day, Iran dismissed comments by the top U.S. military chief that it has enough fissile material to make a nuclear bomb. Foreign Ministry spokesman Hassan Ghashghavi said Monday Tehran could not possibly further enrich the uranium it has without international inspectors being aware. The International Atomic Energy Agency, which monitors Iranian production, says Iran has 1,010 kilograms of low-enriched uranium, which can be used for nuclear energy. A more complicated process is needed to further enrich uranium into weapons-grade material, and it remains unclear if Iran is capable of doing that. IAEA chief Mohamed El Baradei Monday urged Iran to unblock the stalemate in order to build confidence in its program. On Sunday, the top U.S. military officer, Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Mike Mullen, said on CNN Iran has stockpiled enough material to make a nuclear bomb. But in a separate interview Sunday on NBC, U.S. Defense Secretary Robert Gates said Iran is not close to having either a nuclear stockpile or weapon. The United Nations nuclear agency said in a report last month that Iran had significantly increased its stockpile of low-enric hed uranium since November. Some experts said Iran has enough of the material to convert into high-enriched uranium for one nuclear bomb. Iran said its nuclear work is peaceful and aimed at generating electricity. The IAEA began a week-long meeting of its board Monday. El Baradei also said that "the apparent fresh approach by the international community" to talk to Iran also will help resolve the dispute. He did not mention the U.S. by name, but his remarks were widely seen as a reference to the administration of President Obama, who has said he is willing to open a dialogue with Tehran. Asked about the possibility of a strategic relationship with Iran, Defense Secretary Gates said Sunday that is up to Tehran. He said he has been searching for "the elusive Iranian moderate" for 30 years, adding, he is still looking. Some information for this report was provided by AP and Reuters. .