Sorry, LH...


"PARIS, France (CNN) -- Iran's nuclear activity is a cover for a clandestine weapons program, French Foreign Minister Philippe Douste-Blazy has said in France's most direct attack on Tehran in the escalating international dispute.

Iran's chief nuclear negotiator immediately dismissed the charge, insisting that Iran did not "want to have the bomb."

Douste-Blazy's bold statement on Thursday appeared to reflect mounting exasperation and a tougher stance than European negotiators had previously maintained in their efforts to persuade Iran to suspend nuclear activities.

"No civilian nuclear program can explain the Iranian nuclear program. It is a clandestine military nuclear program," Douste-Blazy said on France-2 television.

"The international community has sent a very firm message in telling the Iranians to return to reason and suspend all nuclear activity and the enrichment and conversion of uranium, but they aren't listening to us." "

http://www.cnn.com/2006/WORLD/meast/02/16/iran.france/index.html