Almost every country in the Middle East has announced nuclear energy plans in the space of less than a year, in response to Iran's dramatic progress towards atomic power, it was reported yesterday.Iran's pursuit of uranium enrichment in defiance of UN security council resolutions has increased tensions with the US. Yesterday, Israel army radio reported that a senior US administration official told the Israeli government during last week's presidential visit that George Bush and Dick Cheney still intended to mount military action against Iran.The White House dismissed the report, saying it remained committed to diplomacy and economic pressure to force Iranian compliance.Iran's success in enriching uranium, which Tehran insists is purely for peaceful energy generation, has caused anxiety in Israel, which has an undeclared nuclear arsenal, and across the Arab world. Between February 2006 and January 2007, twelve Arab states and Turkey declared their interest in developing nuclear energy .A report by the International Institute for Strategic Studies (IISS) said the resurgence of interest brought with it the risk of a "proliferation cascade" of nuclear arms across the region.
Almost every country in the Middle East has announced nuclear energy plans in the space of less than a year, in response to Iran's dramatic progress towards atomic power, it was reported yesterday.
Iran's pursuit of uranium enrichment in defiance of UN security council resolutions has increased tensions with the US. Yesterday, Israel army radio reported that a senior US administration official told the Israeli government during last week's presidential visit that George Bush and Dick Cheney still intended to mount military action against Iran.
The White House dismissed the report, saying it remained committed to diplomacy and economic pressure to force Iranian compliance.
Iran's success in enriching uranium, which Tehran insists is purely for peaceful energy generation, has caused anxiety in Israel, which has an undeclared nuclear arsenal, and across the Arab world. Between February 2006 and January 2007, twelve Arab states and Turkey declared their interest in developing nuclear energy .A report by the International Institute for Strategic Studies (IISS) said the resurgence of interest brought with it the risk of a "proliferation cascade" of nuclear arms across the region.
