Iran's uranium program better, experts say

WASHINGTON, May 30 (UPI) -- Iran has doubled its ability to enrich uranium , two experts in the United States say, based on a report by the U.N. nuclear watchdog.

Iran's nuclear program could cross a key threshold for nuclear weapons capability next year, scientists and experts told the Financial Times. Iran likely will have enriched uranium that -- in theory -- could be turned into a bomb.

David Albright, head of the Institute for Science and International Security in Washington, said Iran is enriching uranium at about 50 percent of the rate it seeks, up from 20 percent.

Iran says its uranium program is peaceful; the United States and its allies say Iran seeks nuclear weapons.

The United Nations' International Atomic Energy Agency report said between December and May Iran put about four pounds of uranium hexafluoride into centrifuges at its Natanz facility, implying a faster enrichment rate than in previous months when Iran added two pounds.

"A year ago we were talking about the Iranians making enough low enriched uranium to be put in a little glass vial and shown to the press," said Peter Zimmerman, ex-chief scientist for the U.S. Senate Foreign Relations Committee. "Now we have almost as much as two people weigh. That's a lot of uranium for a plant that a year ago we were snickering at."