In what is being billed as a major foreign policy speech on the issue, John Bolton, Under Secretary of State for arms control and international security at the State Department, told a gathering at the Institute for Foreign Policy Analysis in Washington, D.C. Tuesday the danger of the proliferation of weapons of mass destruction (WMD)"is present in a growing number of places, and we must be vigilant in recognizing – and then confronting – these emerging threats against our common security."

Bolton identified Iran and North Korea specifically as nations working diligently to develop nuclear weapons capabilities. He said both were engaged in "efforts to attain nuclear weapons" which "pose a direct and undeniable threat to the United States and its friends and allies around the world."

The State Department official said WMD programs are often undertaken "in conjunction with ambitious ballistic missile programs," adding the combination of the two is cause for immediate concern.

"Whether the nuclear capabilities of states like Iran, North Korea and others are threats today, or 'only' threats 'tomorrow,' there can be no dispute that our attention is required now before the threats become reality, and tens of thousands of innocent civilians, or more, have been vaporized," Bolton said.

A senior administration official told NewsMax the speech, which was "cleared at the highest levels," aims to put violators and allies alike on notice that Washington's patience with "terrorist states" is wearing thin.

Iranian Development

Regarding Iran, the official said, a resolution passed by attendees at a board of governors meeting of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) in Vienna last week essentially "gives Iran one final chance to abide by its international obligations not to use nuclear technology for weapons."

The official, speaking on condition of anonymity, said Bolton, in his speech, made it clear "there is no doubt [Iran] has a robust nuclear weapons program." The official added the IAEA has copious evidence to support that conclusion.

However, the official said, because three European nations – Britain, France and Germany – sent representatives to Iran in October in a bid to "cut a separate deal with Tehran" regarding its WMD programs, the U.S. found itself in a difficult position.

"Frankly, it was an effort to give Iran an easy way out," the official said. "[The Europeans] told us the Iranians were going to come clean" regarding their program, "they're going to abide by their agreements, and there is no reason to send Iran to the [United Nations] Security Council" for nuclear violations.

Though the administration was no fan of the deal, "our allies wanted us to do it and when they're not with us, it's difficult to go another way," said the official. With the support of Australia, Canada and even New Zealand – which usually opposes Washington on weapons issues – U.S. officials managed to strengthen the agreement somewhat.

The administration agreed to the deal "because now this puts Iran on record, that if they slip up again," the U.S. would call them on it, said the official.

Iran, a signatory to the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty, was found by international atomic inspectors earlier this year to be diverting materials from its nuclear power development to a nuclear weapons program. That discovery – and the IAEA's refusal to officially sanction Iran – has left U.S. officials incredulous.

"U.N. arms inspectors have made astonishing finds: undisclosed facilities producing nuclear-weapons material, secret supplier agreements to import banned equipment and officials who have engaged in a systematic effort at deception," reports Insight Magazine Dec. 2.

Hollow Deal

After two days of talks in Tehran, the Europeans returned home and said Iran had pledged to "suspend" its clandestine nuclear weapons programs. In exchange, the Europeans promised to continue trading with Iran and to oppose U.S. efforts to haul Tehran before the Security Council, though Insight reported U.S. officials have been trying behind the scenes to persuade IAEA officials to find Iran in non-compliance with NPT. So far, however, those efforts have fallen on deaf ears.

Worse, Iran has since reversed itself regarding the pledges it made to European Union members to halt its programs. Over the weekend, "Hasan Rowhani, head of Iran's Supreme National Security Council and the man who concluded the October deal in Tehran with the three European foreign ministers, "gave Iran's most recent interpretation of the IAEA's actions," Bolton said.

Rowhani declared Iran's "decision to suspend uranium enrichment is voluntary and temporary." He went on to say "uranium enrichment is Iran's natural right and [Iran] will reserve for itself this right. . . . There has been and there will be no question of a permanent suspension or halt at all."

He went on to say, "We want to control the whole fuel cycle. Since we are planning to build seven nuclear fuel plants in the future, we want to provide fuel for at least one of the plants ourselves."

"The IAEA's November 26 resolution should leave no doubt that one more transgression by Iran will mean that the IAEA is obligated to report Iran's noncompliance to the Security Council and General Assembly of the United Nations, in accordance with Article XII.C of the IAEA Statute," said Bolton.

Iran's declaration "stunned our European allies," said the administration official, though "the U.S. knew, in time, Iran would hang itself."

"We think the European three will be very embarrassed when the evidence of Iran's program comes to light, and the Iranians prove they simply aren't going to live up to their commitments," said the official.

North Korean Obstinacy

As to North Korea and upcoming talks aimed at convincing Pyongyang to dismantle it's own avowed nuclear weapons program, the official said Japan is reserving the right to discuss with North Korea its abduction years ago of Japanese citizens.

"The North Koreans don't want to let Japan attend the six-party talks if Japan raises the issue," said the senior official. "This is a big issue in Japan. They can't meet with North Korea without raising it."

The official said Pyongyang was trying to dictate that Japan couldn't come to the talks "if the Japanese raise the issue of this outrageously illegal activity."

The official said some decades ago, Pyongyang's agents actually kidnapped Japanese citizens off their own beaches, and brought them back to North Korea.

"We're making it clear Japan has a right to say this" at the talks, the official said.

The six-way talks were to involve the U.S., Russia, China, South Korea and Japan, as well as North Korea. Six-way talks were held in Beijing in August but ended inconclusively; no date has been set for the second round of talks.

U.S. officials met with Japanese and South Korean officials in Seoul Tuesday to discuss details of the next meeting.

Bypassing the U.N.?

In his speech, Bolton said the U.S. has attempted to utilize the U.N. Security Council as a means to sanction Iran and North Korea, but is being thwarted by nations that have also – perhaps ironically – accused Washington of habitually bypassing the world negotiating body.

"To date, China, supported by Russia, has argued that the [North Korea] issue is better handled in the six-party context rather than the Security Council, and we have agreed," Bolton said. "Similarly, France, the United Kingdom and others urged recently that the case of Iran not be reported to the Security Council, and we agreed to that, too.

"Of course, we hope that the other four Permanent Members of the Security Council are aware of the long-term implications of these decisions, as we are," Bolton said. "Policies intended to bring about the termination of the Iranian and DPRK nuclear weapons programs, which result in reducing the Council's role under the Charter, would be truly unfortunate and ironic."

"The U.S. is trying to work through the U.N., and our allies won't let us," said the senior official. "This is going to hurt the U.N. – the organization that we're being accused of not working through."

Bolton's statement makes clear "to our allies, 'Do you know the implications of not following the U.N. Charter and not bringing violations of WMD treaties to the Security Council?'" said the official.

"Sooner or later there's going to be a big case like this, and the U.S. is going to say, 'Well, we tried to go to the council before but you weren't with us,'" said the official. "Now we'll deal with it in our own way."