‘Stronger’ US action if Iran does not end nuclear weapons ambitions: Cheney

AFP: The United States will pursue “stronger action” if Iran does not abandon its nuclear weapons ambitions, Vice President Dick Cheney said in an interview Friday. The statement comes as Washington announced it would drop objections to Iran joining the World Trade Organization to support efforts by Britain, France and Germany aimed at persuading Tehran to end its suspect nuclear program.
AFP

WASHINGTON – The United States will pursue “stronger action” if Iran does not abandon its nuclear weapons ambitions, Vice President Dick Cheney said in an interview Friday.

The statement comes as Washington announced it would drop objections to Iran joining the World Trade Organization to support efforts by Britain, France and Germany aimed at persuading Tehran to end its suspect nuclear program.

If the Iranians are interested only in civilian nuclear power they can acquire reactor fuel from several different commercial sources, Cheney said in an interview with Fox News.

The concern is that Iran wants to enrich enough fuel to give them the capability to build a weapon, he said.

“And that’s what we want to avoid,” said Cheney. “But at the end of the day if the Iranians don’t live up to their obligations and their international commitments to forego a nuclear program, then obviously we’ll have to take stronger action.”

Speaking on a trip to the southern state of Louisiana Friday, US President George W. Bush said that Washington and its allies will “speak with one voice to the Iranian regime that they should abandon any ambitions for nuclear weapons for the sake of peace in the world.”