Bush will raise Iran nuke concerns at UN

UPI:

President Bush Tuesday called Iran's suspected pursuit of nuclear weapons a "grave concern" and said he would raise the issue at the United Nations. READ MORE

Iran, as other nations, had the right to pursue civilian nuclear power, but there had to be safeguards and guidelines so the technology could not be put to use to enrich fuel for weapons, he said.

"This is a subject of grave concern, and it's something that we're spending a lot of time on in this administration," he said.

Bush was speaking at the White House prior to departing for New York and the opening session of the U.N. General Assembly.

Iran recently restarted its nuclear operations near Esfahan after U.S.-supported European efforts to offer aid in return for abandoning its nuclear programs foundered. Efforts by the U.N.'s International Atomic Energy Agency also failed to get Iran to suspend the program, but it has not yet referred Iran to the U.N. Security Council for possible economic sanctions.

"There is still an IAEA process to go forward," Bush said. "And we will continue to work with our ambassador at the IAEA ... to press forward with a full disclosure about Iranian intentions so that then the Security Council can make a -- determine the right policy to go forward."

Iran has surreptitiously started a number of nuclear programs in violation of non-proliferation accords, but says it is only pursuing peaceful, civilian nuclear energy.

"It is very important for the world to understand that Iran with a nuclear weapon will be incredibly destabilizing. And, therefore, we must work together to prevent them from having the wherewithal to develop a nuclear weapon," Bush said.