Bush finds Iran’s nuclear plans ‘troublesome’

‘‘Make no mistake, what Iran is pursuing raises very troublesome issues, particularly given the fact that Iran is a nation that is rich in oil and rich in gas,’’ White House spokesman Ari Fleischer said. ‘‘It is odd for a nation as rich in energy as Iran to seek production of nuclear energy that they claim is for peaceful purposes.’’

Bush told reporters after meeting the Emir of Qatar that he would ‘‘wait and see’’ what the International Atomic Energy Agency, the UN body overseeing compliance with the treaty’s commitments, said after its meeting next month.

The UN nuclear watchdog was not ready, despite US pressure, to decide whether Iran’s atomic power programme violated the proliferation accord, diplomats said.

If Director General Mohamed ElBaradei reports to the UN agency’s board of governors that Iran is not in compliance with the treaty, it could create another nuclear face-off as the US already locked in confrontation with North Korea, and the rest of the board decide its response.

‘‘I’ve always expressed my concerns that the Iranians may be developing a nuclear programme,’’ Bush said. ‘‘I have done so publicly. I have done so privately … I expressed those concerns to (Russian President) Vladimir Putin when I went to Russia.’’

US is grappling with the issue now that the Iraq war is winding up and disturbing details have been revealed about Tehran’s nuclear activities. (Reuters)