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| Version 0 | Version 1 |
|---|---|
| US report plays down Iran threat | US report plays down Iran threat |
| (10 minutes later) | |
| Iran appears "less determined" to develop nuclear weapons than previously thought, US intelligence officials say. | Iran appears "less determined" to develop nuclear weapons than previously thought, US intelligence officials say. |
| Tehran halted its nuclear weapons program in 2003 but is continuing to enrich uranium, a National Intelligence Estimate assessment concluded. | Tehran halted its nuclear weapons program in 2003 but is continuing to enrich uranium, a National Intelligence Estimate assessment concluded. |
| The White House said the development was "positive news", but that the risk of Iran acquiring nuclear weapons remained a "serious problem". | The White House said the development was "positive news", but that the risk of Iran acquiring nuclear weapons remained a "serious problem". |
| Iran says its nuclear programme is for civilian purposes only. | Iran says its nuclear programme is for civilian purposes only. |
| 'Cautious assessment' | |
| The declassified summary of the report, which draws together information from the US's 16 intelligence agencies, says with "high confidence" that Iran stopped its nuclear weapons programme in 2003 "in response to international pressure". | |
| The assessment says with "moderate confidence" that the programme has not restarted. | |
| Iran made "significant progress" in 2007 installing gas centrifuges used to enrich uranium - a process necessary for producing the fissile nuclear material needed to build a nuclear bomb, the report says. | |
| But the report's authors judge with "moderate confidence" that Iran "still faces significant technical problems" operating the new equipment. | |
| And they conclude that the country is not likely to have enough highly enriched uranium to build a bomb until 2010-2015. | |
| The BBC news website's World Affairs Correspondent Paul Reynolds says the report is cautious in its assessment of Iran's nuclear activities and provides little evidence for those who would like an early military attack. | The BBC news website's World Affairs Correspondent Paul Reynolds says the report is cautious in its assessment of Iran's nuclear activities and provides little evidence for those who would like an early military attack. |
| He says it will strengthen the hand of those who want further sanctions since it states that past pressure has worked. | He says it will strengthen the hand of those who want further sanctions since it states that past pressure has worked. |