Bush denies Iran nuclear threat exaggerated

TAPESCRIPT 4

AM - Wednesday, 5 December, 2007 08:20:00

Reporter: Kim Landers

TONY EASTLEY: A defiant US President, George W. Bush has shrugged off claims that his administration has been exaggerating Iran's nuclear threat.

Instead President Bush insists Iran still poses a danger to the world, despite new American intelligence that Tehran has halted its nuclear weapons program.

Mr Bush's line is backed by some of America's allies, including Israel, Britain and France.

Washington correspondent Kim Landers reports.

KIM LANDERS: There's no going back for a President who once raised the spectre of World War Three and warned of a nuclear holocaust if Iran had nuclear weapons.

Faced with a new US intelligence assessment, that Iran's nuclear weapons program has been dormant for four years, George W Bush prefers to call the report a "warning signal".

GEORGE W. BUSH: Iran was dangerous, Iran is dangerous and Iran will be dangerous if they have the knowledge necessary to make a nuclear weapon.

KIM LANDERS: The national intelligence estimate has taken America's friends and foes by surprise after years of strident rhetoric from the US, accusing Iran of pursuing covert nuclear weapons.

But the President's warning message is one he's repeated often, in what can be regarded as a damage control media conference at the White House today.

GEORGE W. BUSH: I still feel strongly that Iran's a danger. Nothing's changed in this NIE (National Intelligence Estimate) that says, "Okay, why don't we just stop worrying about it?" Quite the contrary.

KIM LANDERS: Iran's Foreign Minister is Manouchehr Mottaki.

MANOUCHEHR MOTTAKI (translated): Now that the questions and ambiguities have been clarified, if any countries have found answers to those question, no matter what their intentions were, and now want to correct their views towards Iran, we will obviously welcome that. The Iranian nuclear issue is a normal issue, like that of all countries, and Iran will continue its activities under the supervision of the IAEA (International Atomic Energy Agency).

KIM LANDERS: The US is clearly concerned that the intelligence report could cripple its drive for a fresh round of UN sanctions against Iran.

Russia has repeatedly said it has no evidence Iran seeks nuclear weapons, so today President Bush phoned Vladimir Putin to make the case now's not the time to back off.

Israel's Prime Minister Ehud Olmert says it's still vital to stop Iran from developing nuclear weapons in the future.

EHUD OLMERT: There's a need to continue concerted efforts to stop Iran from acquiring nuclear capacity.

KIM LANDERS: Britain and Germany say the report backs Europe's approach of trying to negotiate with Iran, while France says world powers should continue to prepare a new UN resolution.

The International Atomic Energy Agency says the US report should "help defuse the current crisis ".

But President Bush warns military force is still an option to stop Iran from getting nuclear arms.

This is Kim Landers in Washington for AM

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