Bush Will Not Tolerate Iran Nuclear Arms

Wednesday, June 18, 2003

(4:27 PM)
By Scott Lindlaw

Associated Press Writer

The Bush administration is banking on diplomatic pressure to encourage Iran to rethink its nuclear program. It is confident that the board of governors of the International Atomic Energy Agency, meeting this week, will find Iran to be in violation.

President Bush answers a question during a meeting on Medicare in the Cabinet Room at the White House, Wednesday, June 18,2003. Sitting with Bush are from left, Sen. Rick Santorum, R-Pa., Sen. Max Baucus, D-Mont.., and Sen. Bill Frist, R-Tenn., left. Bush was asked about Iran and he said he "will not tolerate" nuclear weapon in Iran.

Image Credit: Susan Walsh -- AP

WASHINGTON -- AP
President Bush said Wednesday that he and other world leaders will not tolerate nuclear weapons in Iran and he urged Tehran to treat protesters seeking the ouster of the Islamic government with ``the utmost of respect.''

Iran is thought to be developing nuclear weapons, though the government denies it.

``The international community must come together to make it very clear to Iran that we will not tolerate construction of a nuclear weapon,'' Bush told reporters at the end of a meeting in the White House Cabinet Room. ``Iran would be dangerous if it had a nuclear weapon,'' he said.Bush said he had brought the matter of nuclear weapons up with other leaders at the G-8 meeting of industrial powers, plus Russia, earlier this month.

``There was near-universal agreement that we all must work together to prevent Iran from developing a nuclear weapon,'' he said.

Iran also has an advanced missile program and maintains ties to terrorist groups, possibly including al-Qaida, the administration has asserted, and is run by conservative mullas who are deeply hostile toward the United States.
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2003 © The Associated Press.

Dan