U.S. Believes Iran is Building a Nuclear Weapons Program 

President George Bush says he hopes a disagreement with Iran can be settled peacefully.

Iran has announced that it is researching the use of nuclear energy. Bush says he is worried that Iran will use the technology to develop nuclear weapons. Such weapons could kill millions of people.

Iran says it plans to use nuclear materials to make electricity. But more powerful forms of nuclear energy can be used to make dangerous weapons.

Only a few nations have nuclear weapons.

The United States was the first nation to develop nuclear weapons. It did so in the 1940s. The United States is the only nation to use nuclear weapons against an enemy.

Most of the nations that have nuclear weapons do not want other countries to develop them. Iran is one of the nations that signed an agreement that they would not make nuclear weapons. The agreement is called the “Nuclear Non-proliferation Treaty.”

Many think Iran is violating treaty

The United States and some other countries say Iran appears to be violating the agreement. The United States says Iran appears to be developing technology that could be used to make nuclear weapons. The treaty allows using nuclear energy to make electricity.   

The president of Iran said April 24 that he is thinking about pulling out of the agreement. President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad said Iran might pull out of the treaty if the United Nations tries to stop Iran from moving forward with its nuclear research.

The United Nations is an organization of countries. Most countries are members of the U.N. The U.N. works to prevent problems around the world.

Iran would fight back if attacked

Ahmadinejad said Iran wants to work within the terms of the agreement. But he said he would re-consider if the United Nations does not accept Iran’s rights. He also said Iran would fight back if attacked.

Iran’s nuclear program has been under question since 2002. Four years ago, Iran announced it had a large nuclear program that it had been hiding for 18 years.

The U.N. told one of its divisions to check out Iran’s nuclear program. The U.N. gave the task to the International Atomic Energy Agency. The agency is also known as the IAEA.

After sending people to Iran, the IAEA said it found no proof that Iran was making nuclear weapons. But the IAEA also said Iran has not answered all of the questions about its actions.

The IAEA was scheduled to make a final report on April 28. President Bush said the United Nations should consider taking some kind of action if the report shows Iran is making nuclear weapons.

Bush suggested using sanctions be used against Iran. Sanctions mean refusing to sell or trade with Iran. The president of Iran said sanctions would not work. He said Iran would simply buy what it wants from countries that do not go along with the sanctions.