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Report: Iran Plans to Build Additional Centrifuges, Enrich More Uranium

Menendez: Only reason Iran would do this is to expedite production of a nuclear weapon

December 29, 2013

The head of Iran's atomic energy agency says they plan to enrich additional uranium and build more centrifuges, Fox News reports.

Sen. Bob Menendez (D., N.J.) warned the only reason Iran would take such a provocative measure would be to expedite the production of a nuclear weapon.

Despite pleas by the White House for Congress to refrain from passing additional sanctions, Menendez said the administration would actually get "the best of both worlds" if Congress adopted legislation punishing Iran should they fail to live up to their nuclear
commitments:

ED HENRY: A not so nice message to President Obama from one of his top Democratic allies, ratcheting up pressure on the commander-in-chief to get tougher on Iran, warning the U.S. and its allies may now be on the verge of a full-scale nuclear arm races in the Middle East.

BOB MENENDEZ: If you are talk producing more advanced centrifuges that are only used to enrich uranium at a quicker rate, you are really not thinking about nuclear power for domestic energy, you are thinking about nuclear power for nuclear weapons.

[…]

PRESIDENT OBAMA: We'll know if they are violating the terms of the agreement, they are not allowed to accelerate their stockpile of enriched uranium.

HENRY: Mendendez says agrees with the president to a point, but thinks Congress needs to be ready if diplomacy does not succeed.

MENENDEZ: If anything it shows Congress showing a strong hand to the Iranians at the same time that the administration is seeking a negotiation with them.