International Atomic Energy Agency reports that despite ultimatum imposed on it, Teheran not showing any signs of halting uranium enrichment program

Associated Press
Published: 08.31.06, 23:34

The UN nuclear watchdog, the International Atomic Energy Agency, said in a report obtained by The Associated Press that Iran shows no signs of freezing enrichment, adding that Tehran started work on a new batch August 24.

The confidential IAEA report will be given to its 35-nation board. That is expected to trigger UN Security Council members — by mid-September — to begin considering economic or political sanctions.

Key European nations will meet with Iran in September in a last-ditch effort to seek a negotiated solution to the standoff over Tehran's refusal to freeze uranium enrichment, a senior UN diplomat said Thursday.

President Bush said "there must be consequences" for Iran, adding that the war between Tehran-backed Hizbullah and Israel demonstrated that "the world now faces a grave threat from the radical regime in Iran."

Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad told a crowd of thousands in the northwestern city of Orumiyeh that "the Iranian nation will not accept for one moment any bullying, invasion and violation of its rights."

Israel is going to have to hit Iran and hit them hard and soon. One of my contacts has told me that some intelligence sources in Israel feel that Iran is 6 months away from getting nuclear weapons.