Ahmadinejad: Iran a 'nuclear state'
TEHRAN, Feb. 11 (UPI) -- Iran enriched its first batch of uranium to 20 percent, making the republic a "nuclear state," President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad told a crowd in Tehran Thursday.
During a celebration marking the 31st anniversary of the Islamic Revolution, Ahmadinejad said the "first consignment of the 20 percent enriched uranium has been produced and handed over to the scientists," the government-supported Iranian Students News Agency reported.
"God willing, the work will continue until completely supplying the country's needs," Ahmadinejad said.
"We are now a nuclear state," the president said.
Ahmadinejad said Iran doesn't believe in manufacturing a nuclear weapon, the British newspaper, The Sun, reported.
"When we say we do not manufacture the bomb, we mean it, and we do not believe in manufacturing a bomb," Ahmadinejad said. "If we wanted to manufacture a bomb, we would announce it."
He said Iran was capable of enriching uranium up to 80 percent, but wouldn't, CNN reported. Western nations say uranium enriched to 80 percent or higher could be weaponized.
Iranian officials said the process at the Natanz facility occurred in the presence of inspectors from the International Atomic Energy Agency, the U.N. nuclear watchdog, The New York Times reported. IAEA officials said they could not confirm Iran's claims.
In a memo sent to member countries Wednesday, IAEA Director General Yukiya Amano said when the inspectors arrived at the Natanz facility Wednesday, they were told Iran already had started feeding low-enriched uranium into centrifuges for enrichment.
Iran has maintained its nuclear work is for medical and research purposes, not for weapons as Western leaders say they believe is the case.
Iran announced Monday it would begin uranium enrichment to 20 percent, prompting Western leaders to call for increased sanctions targeting the Revolutionary Guards specifically. On Wednesday, the U.S. Treasury Department imposed sanctions on against a corps commander and four companies tied to the organization.
Poll gives Obama edge over GOP foe in '12
PRINCETON, N.J., Feb. 11 (UPI) -- U.S. voters appear almost equally divided between re-electing Barack Obama in the 2012 election or voting for a Republican, a Gallup poll indicates.
Results based on a Feb. 1-3 sampling gave Obama, the Democratic incumbent, a slight edge, 44 percent, to 42 percent for the GOP nominee. The other 14 percent was undecided.
However, even with independents leaning in the Republican candidate's direction, Obama is tied among all voters because of the greater proportion of Democratic identifiers in the registered voter population.
Among the unannounced Republicans, former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney and former Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin are most frequently mentioned, by 14 and 11 percent, respectively.
Seven percent mention Arizona Sen. John McCain, the 2008 nominee. Newly elected Massachusetts Sen. Scott Brown, former Arkansas Gov. and 2008 candidate Mike Huckabee and former Speaker of the House Newt Gingrich are each mentioned by at least 3 percent of Republicans.
Results are based on telephone interviews with 1,025 national adults, aged 18 and older, conducted Feb. 1-3, 2010. For results based on the total sample of national adults, one can say with 95 percent confidence that the maximum margin of error is plus or minus 4 percentage points.
GOP's Gregg open to healthcare discussions
WASHINGTON, Feb. 11 (UPI) -- One Republican says he welcomes the chance to discuss healthcare reform at the White House with U.S. President Barack Obama in a few weeks.
In a letter to Obama released earlier this week, Sen. Judd Gregg, R-N.H., said he was looking forward to the meeting as a chance for "constructive dialogue" and an opportunity to promote his lower-cost approach focused on preventive care and guaranteed catastrophic coverage for all families, Politico reported Thursday.
His letter warned, however, that the House- and Senate-passed healthcare bills can't be the only basis for the discussions during the half-day meeting Feb. 25.
Gregg, who is not seeking re-election, told the Washington publication he is open to discuss specific deficit-reduction and cost-containment steps that could be used to win GOP support for healthcare reform.
"I'm not on their reach-out list, so nothing may come of this," Gregg said of Democrats' recent overtures to moderate Senate Republicans concerning healthcare legislation. "But I'm ready to sit down and try to be helpful."
Another 9/11 attack unlikely, Biden says
WASHINGTON, Feb. 11 (UPI) -- While terrorists still will try to damage the United States, another attack similar to the Sept. 11, 2001, attack is unlikely, Vice President Joe Biden said.
"The idea of there being a massive attack in the United States like 9/11 is unlikely, in my opinion," Biden said during an interview on CNN Wednesday.
Terror groups such as al-Qaida in the Arabian Peninsula "have decided to move in the direction of much more small-bore but devastatingly frightening attacks," such as the failed terror attack aboard a U.S.-bound airliner on Christmas, Biden said.
Biden praised the successes of the U.S. security and intelligence communities in handling the threats, but said, "I think there are going to be attempts" made against the United States.
Biden also pushed for a bipartisan effort to pass a jobs bill in Congress, saying that was a key priority of the administration in 2010.
"And so what we're doing now is focusing -- and hopefully with some Republican help this time -- on job creation," Biden said. "It's not just enough to create the job that right this minute ... but to lay the foundation" for the future.
Israel hits alleged Gaza terror cell
GAZA, Feb. 11 (UPI) -- The Israeli air force Thursday attacked a reputed Gaza terrorist cell believed planning attacks on Israeli towns, officials said.
One person, said to be a Global Jihad member, was reported to be the lone casualty, Ynetnews reported.
Several others were injured, including two Palestinian girls, 5 and 13, when an Israeli shell struck their home on the outskirts of the Burij refugee camp, the report said.
