US President George W. Bush on Wednesday demanded that Iran dismantle its nuclear program in his annual State of the Union address.  (Photo: Yahoo/Reuters)

    WASHINGTON, Feb. 2 (Xinhuanet) -- US President George W. Bush on Wednesday demanded that Iran dismantle its nuclear program in his annual State of the Union address.

    "We are working with European allies to make clear to the Iranian regime that it must give up its uranium enrichment programand any plutonium reprocessing," Bush said.

    The Bush administration has accused Iran of developing a nuclear weapon program and Iran says its nuclear program is for civil purposes only.

    Bush said on Jan. 17 that he would not rule out military actions against Iran in his second term. Condoleezza Rice, then secretary of state-designate, threatened a day later to refer Iran's nuclear case to the UN Security Council.

    In response, Akbar Hashemi Rafsanjani, chairman of Iran's powerful Expediency Council and former president, said on Jan. 18 that Iran was "not a proper place for adventurism".

    One day later, Foreign Ministry spokesman Hamid-Reza Asefi, in a written statement, said Iran would "respond strongly to any kindof unwise acts."

    Iranian President Mohammad Khatami said on Jan. 20 that Iran would stand up to any aggression. Enditem