US draft order details Iran146;s nuclear ability

A draft executive order circulating among senior Bush administration officials concludes that Iran8217;s nuclear weapons programme is so ad...

A draft executive order circulating among senior Bush administration officials concludes that Iran8217;s nuclear weapons programme is so advanced the country no longer needs foreign help to build the bomb. The conclusion is contained in a draft National Security Decision Directive that would order a tougher US policy toward Iran. It largely reflects the intelligence analysis of the Pentagon, according to a source who received a classified briefing on the directive.

The assessment suggests that Iran8217;s nuclear programme cannot now be halted through additional pressure on countries that have helped develop Iran8217;s nuclear expertise, notably Russia, according to the source, who declined to be further identified.

US playing 8216;double standards8217;: Iran
TEHRAN: Iran on Wednesday accused the US of 8216;8216;double standards8217;8217; in the fight against Al Qaeda, asserting that it was seriously engaged in the arrest and interrogation of Al Qaeda members. 8216;8216;It is the US which is not really serious in fighting terrorism,8217;8217; spokesman Hamid Reza Asefi said in response to US assertions that Iran8217;s actions against the Al Qaeda had been 8216;8216;insufficient8217;8217;.

Russia rejects US criticism over Iran ties
MOSCOW: Rejecting US criticism over Moscow-Tehran nuclear energy ties, Russian Foreign Minister Igor Ivanov said on Wednesday that cooperation between Russia and Iran in the field of nuclear energy doesn8217;t provide any ground for criticism on the part of third countries, including the US. ENS 038; Agencies

He said the security directive is adopted as now drafted, the US effectively would abandon its policy of trying to contain Iran8217;s nuclear arms programme and would take a more confrontational approach, including covert efforts to destabilise the regime.

The administration has imposed sanctions on Russian companies believed to have helped Iran and has pressed other countries, including China and Ukraine, not to supply equipment or expertise. The CIA does not fully agree with the Pentagon8217;s conclusion and that senior officials from the Pentagon, State Department and CIA would hash out differences before presenting the document to a meeting of top officials for adoption.

An official familiar with the CIA8217;s reports on Iran8217;s nuclear weapons programme said the conclusion that Iran no longer needs outside help is 8216;8216;not totally consistent with what the CIA8217;s view is.8217;8217; He declined to elaborate. LAT-WP