Iran's Nuclear Threat | ABC30 Fresno | abc30.com

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By ABC30

Sunday, September 27, 2009

President Obama is trying to keep the heat on, after the revelation that Iran is constructing a secret facility capable of producing fuel for nuclear weapons.

President Obama said: "Iran has been building a secret nuclear facility to enrich uranium. This is a serious challenge to the global nonproliferation regime and continues a disturbing pattern of Iranian evasion."

The President used his weekly address to press the Iranian Government to cooperate with the international community.

President Obama said: "Iran's leaders must now choose, they can live up to their responsibilities and achieve integration with the community of nations or they will face increased pressure and isolation."

And as that address was being broadcast. Iranian officials said they will allow the UN's Nuclear Agency to inspect the plant. Iranian Prime Minister Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, who was in New York to attend the United Nations meetings said the facility will be used to generate electricity and insists that his Country has done nothing wrong, and revealed its plans days ago.

But intelligence reports say the secret nuclear plant, hidden in the mountains about 100 miles from Tehran, appears to have weapon fuel producing capability.

In an exclusive interview to air on ABC's this week, Defense Secretary Robert Gates asserted that Iranian leaders may not have accomplished their long term goal but are on their way.

Robert Gates, Secretary of Defense said: "My personal opinion is that the Iranians have the intention of having nuclear weapons. I think the question of whether they have made a formal decision to move towards the development of nuclear weapons, uh, is in doubt."

Iran gave no date that it will allow inspection of its no longer secret site.