Democrats call for action on Iranian nukes

WASHINGTON, March 27 (UPI) -- The United States must act now to halt Iran's nuclear program following regulatory reports suggesting Iran had enough material for a bomb, lawmakers said.

Democratic lawmakers led by House Majority Leader Steny Hoyer of Maryland and California's Howard Berman, chairman of the House Committee on Foreign Affairs, wrote a letter to U.S. President Barack Obama expressing their concern over the Iranian nuclear program.

"We are distressed by the recent International Atomic Energy Agency report that Iran has already stockpiled enough low-enriched uranium to generate one nuclear weapon," the letter said.

The Democratic leaders, including Ike Skelton, chairman of the House Committee on Armed Services, praised the recent effort by the Obama administration to engage Iran but said suspension of uranium enrichment should be the immediate goal.

"Iran must verifiably suspend its uranium-enrichment program within at most a few months of the initiation of discussions," the letter continued, noting officials should not wait for Iranian presidential elections in June to begin the process.

The lawmakers added that the Obama administration should continue the threat of punitive economic sanctions to pressure the Iranians to abandon their nuclear efforts.

Obama struck a conciliatory tone in a message to Iranians last week, though he earlier renewed economic sanctions, in part because of Iran's nuclear program.

Iran insists its nuclear program is for civilian purposes.