US admiral warns Iran has nuclear fuel to make bomb

IRAN has stockpiled enough nuclear fuel to make a bomb, America's most senior military chief warned today.

Admiral Mike Mullen described the situation as a "very, very bad outcome for the region and the world".

It means President Barack Obama faces critical decisions in the coming months over what to do about Iran and in particular, how to stop Israel from launching a pre-emptive strike.

Iran has insisted its nuclear programme is for peaceful, energy-related purposes. But America and other western nations have a different view.

While Mr Obama favours diplomacy, Israel has made it clear it will use military strikes to target the plants, where low-enriched uranium has been produced. The latest assessment adds to the problems for Mr Obama as he attempts to fix the ailing US economy with his $787billion stimulus package.

Interviewed on the CNN political show State of the Union yesterday, Admiral Mullen was asked if Iran had enough fissile material to make a bomb. He said: "We think they do, quite frankly. "

His comments went further than any other assessments on the situation. State Department spokesman Robert Wood later said that it was not possible to say how much fissile material Iran has accumulated.

Mr Wood, travelling with Secretary of S tate Hillary Clinton to Egypt, said: "There are differing views, not only outside government but also inside the government" on how far Iran has gone.

He added that while he was not suggesting Admiral Mullen was wrong, he said "we just don't know" exactly how much fissile material Iran now holds. But he added: "We are concerned they are getting close."

Defence Secretary Robert Gates, interviewed on NBC's Meet the Press programme, said the Iranians had not yet created a stockpile and had yet to develop a weapon.

Mr Gates insisted there was still time for diplomatic efforts. Last month the International Atomic Energy Agency reported that Iran processed 2,222lb of low-enriched uranium.

Iran is party to an international nuclear treaty that gives it the right to develop a civilian programme for the nuclear generation of electricity.

But the programme must be open to international inspection and Iran has prevented observers from touring their plants.