"We Do Not Have A Nuclear Weapons Program." Or, is it 30 Days to War with Iraq?

More saber rattling here. Given the Iraq bait and switch executed by the W, Rove and co., I think Iran is trying to set up a big giant, but legitimate question markup that could be a very plausible tid bit by which a preson could oppose going to war with Iran as it may be suggested by the W, Rove and Co. Do you believe Iran?

Q Any reaction to the op-ed piece in The Times by the Iranian ambassador to the U.N.?

MR. McCLELLAN: I don't know if I read that.

Q The headline, "We Do Not Have A Nuclear Weapons Program."

MR. McCLELLAN: I don't know if I read that whole -- oh, the op-ed in The New York Times?

Q Op-ed piece in The Times.

MR. McCLELLAN: The international community has made it very clear what the regime in Iran needs to do and what is expected of the regime. It's time for the regime to come clean and commit to complying with its international obligations. The Security Council passed a very clear and united statement just last week, and the regime has 30 days to make that commitment to come clean and comply, or we're going to be back at the Security Council talking about next steps to take.

I think you can understand why we are skeptical about the regime, that it will actually change its behavior. But the regime is only further isolating itself and the Iranian people from the rest of the world by its own behavior. And the international community is united in our objective of preventing the regime from developing a nuclear weapons capability. And what's important is that the regime needs to build confidence with the international community, to show that it's not developing nuclear weapons under the cover of a civilian program. They hid their activities from the international community for some two decades. They have continued to conceal their activities when it comes to their nuclear program. And that's why the international community is united in its concern when it comes to the regime.

Thank you.