Ahmadinejad: Iran is a “Nuclear State”
James Phillips /
Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad today used the annual celebration of the anniversary of Iran’s Islamic revolution to announce that Iran has become a “nuclear state.” Although the bombastic dictator has made this claim before, his exultant announcement came shortly after Iran had announced that it would enrich uranium to the 20 percent level that it claims it needs to fuel a research reactor that is scheduled to run out of fuel later this year.
Ahmadinejad proclaimed: “I want to announce with a loud voice here that the first package of 20 percent fuel was produced and provided to the scientists.” In a speech broadcast live on state television he said: “We have the capability to enrich uranium more than 20 percent or 80 percent but we don’t enrich (to this level) because we don’t need it.” He told the crowd: “When we say we do not manufacture the bomb, we mean it, and we do not believe in manufacturing a bomb. If we wanted to manufacture a bomb, we would announce it.”
Ahmadinejad spoke before a huge crowd in Tehran mobilized by the regime, in part by transporting loyalists in from outlying regions. The opposition Green Movement also staged counter-demonstrations despite the attacks and intimidating tactics used by Iran’s police, Revolutionary Guards, and Basij militia. Many opposition leaders were attacked by thugs when they tried to meet with protesters. Presidential candidate Mehdi Karrubi and former President Mohamed Khatami were physically beaten. (more…)