TEHRAN—Amidst
mounting geopolitical tensions, Iranian officials said Wednesday they
were increasingly concerned about the United States of America's
uranium-enrichment program, fearing the Western nation may soon be
capable of producing its 8,500th nuclear weapon. "Our intelligence
estimates indicate that, if it is allowed to progress with its
aggressive nuclear program, the United States may soon possess its
8,500th atomic weapon capable of reaching Iran," said Iranian foreign
minister Ali Akbar Salehi, adding that Americans have the fuel, the
facilities, and "everything they need" to manufacture even more
weapons-grade fissile material. "Obviously, the prospect of this
happening is very distressing to Iran and all countries like Iran. After
all, the United States is a volatile nation that's proven it needs
little provocation to attack anyone anywhere in the world whom it
perceives to be a threat." Iranian intelligence experts also warned of
the very real, and very frightening, possibility of the U.S. providing
weapons and resources to a rogue third-party state such as Israel.
