VIENNA ? �The U.N. nuclear atomic energy agency says that Iran is suspected of conducting secret experiments whose sole purpose can only be the development of nuclear arms.
The conclusion is contained in a restricted International Atomic Energy Agency report obtained by The Associated Press Tuesday, shortly after it was circulated to the IAEA's 35-nation board and to the U.N. Security Council.
The report says that while some of the suspected secret nuclear work by Iran can have peaceful purposes, "others are specific to nuclear weapons."
A 13-page attachment to the agency's Iran report details intelligence and IAEA research that shows Tehran working on all aspects of research toward making a nuclear weapon, including fitting a warhead onto a missile.
A 2007 National Intelligence Estimate given to then-President George W. Bush indicated that Iran had abandoned its weapons-related research in 2003. However, an ongoing investigation by the Fox News Specials Unit concludes that more that 600 entities were working inside Iran to support its program, and at least 40 sites where the work is taking place are suspected to still exist across the country.
The Qom uranium enrichment construction site, hidden deep in the mountains of Iran, causes concern among many investigators. Intelligence shows that security walls have recently doubled around the site.
Iran insists its nuclear program is for peaceful purposes, not weapons production.
In remarks broadcast on state television, Ahmadinejad said that International Atomic Energy Agency chief Yukiya Amano was simply repeating U.S. allegations. "He delivers the papers that American officials hand on him," Ahmadinejad said.
"I am sorry that a person is heading the agency who has no power by himself and violates the agency's regulations, too," the Iranian president said.
He repeated Iran's stance that it is not involved in making a nuclear weapon. "They should know that if we want to remove the hand of the U.S. from the world, we do not need bombs and hardware. We work based on thoughts, culture and logic," he said.
Iranian Foreign Minister Ali Akbar Salehi said Tuesday if Iran wanted to develop nuclear weapons, it would declare so openly, "but our reason and experience tell us that, for us, nuclear weapons would not serve as a deterrent." Salehi spoke during a visit to neighboring Armenia.
Ahmadinejad said the U.S. has recently added $81 billion to its current budget on nuclear weapons, some 300 times the entire Iranian nuclear budget.
These figures would put Iran's nuclear budget at roughly $270 million per year. Up to now Iranian officials have rarely referred to the budget for the program.
U.S. officials say the government will use the International Atomic Energy Agency report as leverage in making its case to other countries that sanctions against Iran should be expanded and toughened and that the enforcement of current sanctions should be tightened.
In the run-up to the report's release, Israel has been referring to the possibility of a military attack.
Israeli defense minister Ehud Barak told Israel Radio Tuesday he is skeptical the international community would impose crippling sanctions on Iran after the report's release, and Israel will continue to recommend that no option be taken off the table. Israel considers Iran its most dangerous enemy.
In an apparent response to Barak, Iran's defense minister Gen. Ahmad Vahidi on Tuesday warned Iran would hit back if attacked.
"Any adventurous and hostile act against Iran will face a strong, swift and stern response by the Iranian armed forces," Vahidi was quoted by the official IRNA news agency as saying.
Russian President Dimitry Medvedev warned against threatening Iran with the use of force. Speaking in Berlin Tuesday, Medvedev said threats could lead to a war, "and for the Middle East this would be a catastrophe."
China's Foreign Ministry Spokesman Hong Lei said Tuesday that while Beijing is firmly opposed to any use of force, "the Iranian side should also show flexibility and sincerity."
China is Iran's biggest trading partner but has supported previous U.N. sanctions related to Iran's nuclear program.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
Source: http://feeds.foxnews.com/~r/foxnews/world/~3/N1PeB0zTw9M/
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