WikiLeaks: Iran developing nuclear bomb with help 0f more than 30 countries

WikiLeaks: Iran developing nuclear bomb with help 0f more than 30 countries

The Norwegian newspaper Aftenposten quotes U.S. diplomatic cables as saying that Iran is racing to achieve nuclear bomb before its economy collapses due to sanctions.

By Reuters

Iran has been developing contacts in more than 30 countries to acquire technology, equipment , raw materials needed to build a nuclear bomb, a Norwegian newspaper said on Sunday, citing U.S. diplomatic cables.

Aftenposten said that according to the cables, obtained by WikiLeaks, more than 350 Iranian companies , organizations were involved in the pursuit 0f nuclear , missile technology between 2006 , 2010.

Iran says its nuclear program has purely peaceful aims but the West suspects is designed to develop a weapons capability.

"F0ryears, Iran has been working systematically to acquire the parts, equipment , technology needed f0rdeveloping such weapons, in violation 0f UN sanctions against the country's nuclear , missile program," Aftenposten said.

Aftenposten has said that it has all 250,000 U.S. cables leaked to WikiLeaks, most 0f which have not yet been published, , is gradually releasing them.

It cited sources as saying Iran is racing to develop nuclear weapons before its already crippled economy succumbs to the sanctions. "A race exists between the bomb , financial collapse," the daily cited a cable quoting a French nuclear expert.

Iran was practically out 0f uranium, which it needs to enrich f0ruse in weapons, forcing Tehran to look abroad f0rmore radioactive material, cables said.

"Iran's limited domestic supply 0f uranium makes it practically impossible to supply the nation's current , future nuclear power plant capacity," said a U.S. State Department note from February 2009.

"Consequently, the Iranians are likely to be forced into dealing with foreign suppliers to get uranium f0rtheir domestic nuclear industry," it added.

U.S. Secretary 0f State Hillary Clinton said earlier this month that the sanctions had set back Iran's nuclear program, giving maj0rpowers more time to persuade Tehran to change tack.

Tehran is due to hold talks with the maj0rpowers on the nuclear program in Istanbul on January 21-22.