Iran’s Nuclear Program Worries U.S.

The Clinton administration expressed new worry Monday over Iran’s nuclear program and whether that country has acquired the ability to make nuclear bombs and other weapons of mass destruction.

“We will continue to work hard to block those efforts,” White House national security spokesman David Leavy said.

U.S. officials were not pleased with reports Friday from Moscow that Iran may order from Russia an additional three nuclear reactors for power generation.

Although Iran denies having a nuclear weapons program and Russia insists its assistance is peaceful and legal, administration intelligence officials view the Russian-Iranian relationship with rising alarm.

The New York Times reported Monday that the CIA has told senior administration officials that Iran might now be able to make a nuclear weapon. CIA Director George J. Tenet has been briefing other U.S. policymakers on the new assessment, the newspaper said.

National security officials would not comment directly on the report but agreed that the possibility that Iran may be able to manufacture nuclear weapons has been a growing worry.

“We’ve said all along that we are concerned about Iran’s efforts to develop ballistic missiles and weapons of mass destruction,” Leavy said.

Intelligence and defense experts warned that Iran may be closer than previously believed to amassing a nuclear arsenal.

There remains disagreement among intelligence officials on the pace of Iran’s nuclear program and the degree to which the country may be attempting to divert nuclear materials to weapons.

A reason for differing estimates, officials said, is the difficulty in monitoring Iran’s acquisition of nuclear materials and technology.

As recently as last year, intelligence officials were telling congressional intelligence panels that Iran might be able to test a missile that could reach targets in the United States by 2010. Officials now suggest that the timetable might have to be shortened in light of the recent developments.

U.S. efforts to persuade Russia to stop providing nuclear technology to Iran have met with little success. Russian engineers already are building a reactor at a site in southern Iran under an existing contract. Iran also has become a top customer of Russia’s ailing defense industry with purchases of fighter jets, missiles, tanks and submarines.

On several occasions, the U.S. Congress has sought to impose sanctions on countries helping Iran develop nuclear, chemical or biological weapons, an intention aimed primarily at Russia.

Israel has accused Russia, China and North Korea of selling Iran technology and expertise for its arms program, including attempts to build nuclear weapons and missiles to carry them.