White House Calls Nuclear Iran a Global Threat, Awaits Tehran's Response

The White House said Tuesday that a nuclear-armed Iran would pose a serious danger to the region and the entire world, while stopping short of analyzing Tehran's response to an international offer aimed at resolving the dispute over its atomic activities.

Spokeswoman Dana Perino, speaking as President George W. Bush traveled to Minneapolis for a health care event, urged patience: "Let's let the diplomats take a look at this response" before drawing conclusions.

The UN Security Council had set an August 31 deadline for Iran to suspend uranium enrichment, the process used to produce nuclear fuel that can also be redirected toward weapons development. Non-compliance could trigger international sanctions.

Bush, at a White House news conference the previous day, had pressed the Security Council to act promptly if Iran ignored the deadline. He stated that defying the council must carry real consequences and pledged to work with Security Council members to ensure a swift response.

Historical summary. TurkishPress restated this wire report, first published in August 2006, in its own words.