Taking stock of Iran

Re “U-turn toward common sense,” Opinion, July 19

In his article, Graham Allison implies that 500 pounds of low-enriched uranium that Iran has produced so far could easily be converted to highly enriched uranium for bombs.

A couple of clarification points are missing from this article. First, Iranian-produced enrichment material remains under the control of the International Atomic Energy Agency. Second, converting this fuel to highly enriched uranium would take months. Any changes to the current facilities would be noticed by the IAEA instantly.

Nader

Bagherzadeh

Irvine

If I were the cynical type, I might say this was just a ruse. The Iranians are unlikely to give up their low-level enrichment program, to which they are perfectly entitled as a signatory to the Nuclear Nonproliferation Treaty. Then President Bush can say he tried talking directly to Iran but it didn’t work.

This could provide political cover for the U.S. or Israel to achieve the neoconservative dream of attacking Iran before he leaves office.

But that’s just if I were the cynical type.

Mark McIntyre

Los Angeles