U.S. skeptical on Iran nuclear program

WASHINGTON, Feb. 25 (UPI) -- U.S. intelligence agencies continue to believe Iran has not made a decision to build a nuclear warhead.

James R. Clapper Jr., director of national intelligence, summarized that view in Senate testimony Jan. 31, The New York Times reported. Officials say Iran has made considerable progress in enriching uranium, the toughest part of building a bomb, but appears to have taken no steps towards constructing a warhead.

"They are certainly moving on that path, but we don't believe they have actually made the decision to go ahead with a nuclear weapon," Clapper told the Senate Select Committee on Intelligence.

The Iranian government has consistently said its enrichment program is only for nuclear power.

European and Israeli agencies disagree with the U.S. assessment, arguing either Iran has resumed its nuclear weapons program or never completely abandoned it in 2003 as the United States believes.

Some U.S. officials believe Iran's goal, at least for now, is not a nuclear weapons program. Instead, they say Iran is trying to create uncertainty -- "strategic ambiguity" -- about whether it has nuclear capability.