Exiled group says race on in Iran to build bomb ~ By Crispian Balmer

By Crispian Balmer Sat Jun 13, 2009 12:32pm EDT PARIS (Reuters) - Iran will redouble efforts to build an atomic bomb following Mahmoud Ahmadinejad's victory in a presidential election but could still be deterred by tough sanctions, the head of an exiled Iranian group said Saturday. Maryam Rajavi, leader of the French-based National Council of Resistance of Iran (NCRI), told Reuters that Western powers had to abandon a "policy of appeasement" if they wanted to thwart Ahmadinejad's nuclear ambitions. "Sadly Iran will get the bomb if the West continues with its strategy of negotiations. This is just giving the mullahs more time to play with," she said in a telephone interview. "Lots of sources say they will get the bomb in 1-1/2 years, but Ahmadinejad will now speed things up and he will have the bomb in one year maximum." [CONTINUE READING]

Digg this story