Wednesday September 9, 2009, 3:44 pm
"VIENNA (Reuters) – Iran is not going to produce a nuclear weapon any time soon and the threat posed by its atomic program has been exaggerated, the U.N. nuclear watchdog chief said in a published interview.

The West suspects Iran wants to develop a nuclear weapons capability under the guise of a declared civilian atomic energy program. Tehran rejects the charge, saying its uranium enrichment program is a peaceful way to generate electricity.

Mohamed ElBaradei, director-general of the International Atomic Energy Agency, said there was no concrete evidence that Tehran has an ongoing nuclear weapons program.

"But somehow, many people are talking about how Iran's nuclear program is the greatest threat to the world. In many ways, I think the threat has been hyped," he told the specialist Bulletin of the Atomic Scientists.

ElBaradei said there was concern about Iran's future nuclear intentions and that the Islamic Republic needs to be more transparent with the Vienna-based U.N. nuclear watchdog.

"But the idea that we'll wake up tomorrow and Iran will have a nuclear weapon is an idea that isn't supported by the facts as we have seen them so far," said ElBaradei, 67, who will step down in November after 12 years in office.

The interview was conducted in July but released late on Tuesday.

Last week, an IAEA report lent some weight to Western intelligence reports that Iran had studied ways to make atom bombs although the agency has repeatedly said it does not have concrete proof of a weapons agenda.

Iran has refused to provide documentation, access to sites or to nuclear officials for interviews which the IAEA has requested to reach conclusions about the intelligence materials.

In the interview, ElBaradei said there was an urgent need to follow up on U.S. President Barack Obama's proposal for a dialogue between Washington and Tehran, but that resorting to harsher sanctions against Iran if it does not engage would achieve little.

ElBaradei said he had gleaned from experiences dealing with North Korea and Iraq that dialogue was a more effective tool than sanctions. He was not talking about a specific country.

"Another lesson is to use sanctions only as a last resort and to avoid sanctions that hurt innocent civilians. As we saw in Iraq, sanctions only denied vulnerable, innocent civilians food and medicine," he said.

Iran's chief nuclear negotiator was quoted as saying on Tuesday that Tehran has prepared an "updated nuclear proposal" and is ready to talk to world powers. The West has said it is still waiting for details.

Germany is to host high-level talks on Iran's nuclear program on Wednesday with the United States, China, France, Britain and Russia. Western powers are expected to push China and Russia to back a fourth round of U.N. sanctions which could target Iran's vital energy sector."

Thursday September 10, 2009, 12:20 pm
US is so paranoid...I wonder why? :-)

Thursday September 10, 2009, 1:18 pm
I just hope sanity will prevail for once. Thanks, Frank.

Thursday September 10, 2009, 1:23 pm
Tiburon are you trying to offend or disenfranchise many of the Care2 members who are from the US?! Perhaps you need to explain yourself AND refrain from name calling. I find it is rarely helpful and often hurtful. Please think before you post something so callous next time! Thanks!

Thursday September 10, 2009, 1:45 pm
Excuse me Dawn. I never mean to offend and I'm hardly callous. I am a US citizen and I am against US aggression. I think that should clarify it for you. Peace. Thank you Frank for the post.

Thursday September 10, 2009, 1:52 pm
Thanks Frank

Thursday September 10, 2009, 3:02 pm
There is of course a big distinction between the American people and our government(s), which are manipulated by big money interests. Somehow, we can't seem to get a major candidate who really speaks for the people; it costs too much for an uncorrupted populist to politically compete. Most American people are sick and tired of these wars of aggression, just as we are of things like uncontrolled immigration and the "free trade" policies that destroy our industry and jobs, but "our" governments never seem to change or heed the will of the people. Hopefully, we can put enough pressure on President Obama to avert any possible war on Iran.

Thursday September 10, 2009, 5:27 pm
The military-industrial Corporate interests will not let go of their lust for oil & war-machine profits!:(
I'm SO sick of war-without-end Bu$h-League thinkers.. it's time Obama & Congre$$ put a stop to it!

Thursday September 10, 2009, 6:00 pm
An error does not become truth by reason of multiplied propagation, nor does truth become error because nobody sees it.
Mohandas Gandhi

Thursday September 10, 2009, 8:14 pm
If Iran is so innocent, and is not doing anything wrong why wont they let anyone inspect them?

Everyone knows the guilty hide what they are doing.

Thursday September 10, 2009, 8:26 pm
Julie, this is an issue, but we have to consider that Iran has privacy concerns related to its security. We know for example that Israel has expressed a willingness to bomb Iran's nuclear energy facilities, so Iran may have concerns regarding Israel's knowledge of these facilities. Israel itself has refused all efforts of the international community to inspect its own nuclear weapons program, about which it has exercised the greatest secrecy in the name of security. Iran deserves equal consideration.

Friday September 11, 2009, 2:08 am
Thanks Frank and noted. Also great points on Iran and Israel.

Friday September 11, 2009, 9:19 am
Well said, Frank.

Friday September 11, 2009, 10:52 am
I think 9/11 is still very fresh in some people's minds... but who can you trust when they are not on your friends list and they are always making underlying threats

Friday September 11, 2009, 12:13 pm
Chaz, is it possible to trust someone that is not on your friends list? Is it possible that somebody you don't know could misinterpret your meaning on a forum? And is it possible that someone unfamiliar with communicating on open forums may not express themselves in a way that appeals to the masses? I think it's possible.

Friday September 11, 2009, 12:39 pm
Thanks Frank.

Friday September 11, 2009, 1:42 pm
Frank, there is not a big distinction between the Ameican people and our government, especially in the eyes of the rest of the world looking in. Our government is our representation that WE put in office. We have to take responcibility for the people in Wahsington who keep screwing the American people and invading the world. We are not victims here. As long as we keep electing Representatives, Senators and Presidents who take huge campaign contributions for big corporations we will keep getting what we have. They are taking bribes while campaigning. They are already showing who they serve and yet we elect them. At elections if we really want change as everyone claimed in this last election then WE have to change our behavior first. Elect people who really represent what you want, have a voting record to prove it and does not take bribes from corporations while campaigning. There wer a few good people this lasst election but they wer ignored because they did not take bribes and the American people elected the ones the mainstream media picked for them.
So no Frank. ther is no distinction between the American people and our government. They are doing exactly what they showed us they would do and we elected them anyway.

Friday September 11, 2009, 1:54 pm
LOL! Jill, you're as cynical as I am! But I gotta disagree, while Some are doing exactly as expected, too many are NOT.. so we need to Remind them what WE elected them to do. After the Bu$h-League Mafia it's a wonder we can get Anyone DECENT to run for office - knowing the Reich-wing assaults & defamation that Always come. I would not do it.. so I really respect Kucinich & a few others who TRY to Change the Status Quo!

Friday September 11, 2009, 2:28 pm
Thank you, Yvonne. I think that most of what Jill said is true and we must take some responsibility for our leaders, but I can only reiterate that as a practical matter it's hard for an uncorrupted candidate to win a major election when he/she has limited funds and most of the publicity he/she can get in the major media is negative. I think we have to persuade our leaders who have attained office to throw off the shackles.

Friday September 11, 2009, 2:37 pm
Well, they need our help to CHANGE the status quo, rather than try. They need us calling and emailing what we expect from our rep.s and the President. I voted third party becaue I knew what to expect from Obama and all the dirty Dems and Repubs in office and each is living up to those expectations. My Rep.. never has anyone running against him but I could not stand to vote for him. I did a write in vote. I wrote in "My dog".
It is better to vote for what you want and not get it than to vote for what you don't want and get it.
Eugene V. Debs

Friday September 11, 2009, 6:46 pm
The IAEA statement is in line with a 2007 assessment by US intelligence agencies.

"U.S. report says Iran halted nuclear weapons report in 2003"
http://www.nytimes.com/2007/12/03/world/americas/03iht-cia.5.8573960.html

Here's a good report on the background of the NIE report:

US: Cheney tried to stifle dissent in Iran NIE

http://ipsnews.net/news.asp?idnews=39978

Friday September 11, 2009, 8:40 pm
Well The Iranian Polititions and Religious leaders have always said, they did not want a bomb even to their own people.they dont want to have the shame of doing something as horrible To them that would be doing the devils work. Mr Netenyahu is still playing settlement roulette With Palestine, they wanna be the only nuclear power provider in the middle east. They are not going to be able to make money out of crops to fund their defences and their people in the long term? so they squeeze Palestine because they cant hurt Iran. really not a nice ally