Mullen: Iran has nuke weapon material

WASHINGTON, March 1 (UPI) -- U.S. officials think Iran has sufficient material to produce a nuclear weapon, Joint Chiefs of Staff Chairman Mike Mullen said Sunday.

"We think they do, quite frankly," the U.S. Navy admiral said on CNN. "Iran having a nuclear weapon, I believe, for a long time, is a very, very bad outcome for the region and for the world."

Mullen said the United States is watching North Korea closely, as well, but he and Defense Secretary Robert Gates have not made a recommendation yet on what to do about North Korea's nuclear weapon potential.

"There's a lot of focus on this and then recommendations and certainly policy discussions will come based on the timing and what North Korea does," he said.

Iran has plans to conduct trials at a 1,000-megawatt nuclear power plant, a move the U.S. State Department said last week was in keeping with peaceful use of nuclear energy. Iran and Russia have an agreement for fuel supply and spent fuel return, State Department spokesman Robert Wood said Wednesday.

The initial tests at the plant involved the use of virtual fuel packages, officials said.