Secretary of State says her government won’t allow a nuclear Iran
U.S. Secretary of State Hilary Clinton threatened “crippling action,” against Iran if it continues on its alleged pursuit of nuclear weapons, breaking with the US policy of staying silent on plans to deal with the rogue country. The move is an apparent attempt to reassure the America’s Arab allies, many of whom are worried about Iran’s uranium enrichment program. An Iranian official has called Clinton’s remarks “a mistake,” and the government continues to claim that its enrichment program is meant to provide fuel for nuclear reactors, and not weapons. Six major powers have offered Iran expertise and economic assistance in constructing a nuclear power grid—in exchange for halting uranium enrichment—but with the recent reelection of hard-line president Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, it looks like the government will turn down the offer. In any case, experts say Iran is quickly depleting its uranium supply, meaning it can probably only build a very limited stockpile of nuclear weapons.