WASHINGTON Ñ The United States has concluded that Iraq has threatened nuclear retaliation for any attack on the regime of President Saddam Hussein.

On Wednesday, the Baghdad-based Babel daily, published by Saddam's son, Uday, reported that the president met with the head of the nation's nuclear and defense programs. The newspaper, reserved for the most authoritative messages from the regime, said Iraqi nuclear chiefs have pledged to accelerate their nuclear programs in defense of the nation.

U.S. defense sources said intelligence agencies and the Pentagon agree that the report constitutes Saddam's most explicit threat to use nuclear weapons since the 1991 Gulf war. They said Iraq appears to be preparing either nuclear or radiation bombs in response to any U.S.-led attack on the regime.

Babel reported that the defense and nuclear chiefs said they would dedicate themselves and their nuclear expertise "to Iraq, its leader and the proud Iraqi people," according to Middle East Newsline. The members of Iraq's Nuclear Energy Authority were described in the report as "warriors."

"Therefore, progress continues and will accelerate in order to shame the depraved and enemy forces," the newspaper said.

"There is plenty of reason to watch Iraq," U.S. National Security Adviser Condoleezza Rice said. "There is plenty of reason to make very clear to the Iraqis that the United States does not intend to let the Iraqis threaten their own people, threaten their neighbors, or threaten our interests by acquiring weapons of mass destruction."

Western intelligence sources have not determined Saddam's progress toward achieving nuclear capability. They said the Iraqi regime had revived elements of the nuclear program after the expulsion of United Nations inspectors in 1998.

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