Iran needs 'six years for bomb'

Washington, 16 April-(ANA)-The US military has warned that Iran could produce enough highly-enriched uranium for a nuclear bomb in one year.

But it would take another three to five years to actually produce a "deliverable weapon that is usable," a senior general told Congress.

The warning came as Iran said it had produced its first significant batch of more highly-enriched uranium.

Meanwhile, negotiations have resumed at the UN on a possible Iran sanctions resolution over its nuclear programme.

Speaking to the US Senate Armed Services Committee, two military officials said if Iran's leadership decided to, enough highly-enriched uranium could be produced in one year to build a single atomic weapon.

Lt Gen Ronald Burgess, the director of the Defense Intelligence Agency, said the centrifuges at Iran's Natanz nuclear plant were producing low-enriched uranium and were not yet being used to produce the more highly-enriched uranium needed for weapons.(ANA)

FA/ANA/16 April 2010------