On The Brink?

...of a nuclear Iran:

The [UN] investigation ran into trouble just months after being launched [last year]. Deadline after deadline was extended because of Iranian foot-dragging. The probe, originally meant to be completed late last year, spilled into the first months of 2008, and beyond…

Officials say that among the evidence given to the IAEA are what seem to be Iranian draft plans to refit missiles with nuclear warheads; explosives tests that could be used to develop a nuclear detonator, and a drawing showing how to mold uranium metal into the shape of warheads. There are also questions about links between Iran’s military and civilian nuclear facilities.

[Thurs]day, [Iranian Vice President, Gholam Reza] Aghazadeh appeared to signal that his country was no longer prepared even to discuss the issue with the IAEA.

Investigating such allegations “is outside the domain of the agency,” he said after meeting with Mr. ElBaradei. Any further queries on the issue “will be dealt with in another way,” he said, without going into detail.

Does that suggest to you as strongly as it does to me that the mullahs don't need to buy any more time because they've now got what they need to start churning out nuclear warheads?:

Speaking to scholars in the northeastern Iranian city of Mashhad, Ahmadinejad said that Iran had more than 5,000 centrifuges. A report by the International Atomic Energy Agency in May said Iran had about 3,500 centrifuges running. Centrifuges can produce nuclear material suitable for generating electricity, or if highly enriched, for use in an atomic bomb.

"The West wanted us to stop," Ahmadinejad was quoted as telling the scholars. "We resisted, and now they want to resume negotiations."

There was confusion about the actual number Ahmadinejad cited. One Iranian news agency quoted Ahmadinejad as saying Iran had 6,000 centrifuges working, before taking the report off its website. Another said he referred to "hundreds and thousands" of centrifuges.

In theory, 6,000 centrifuges running continuously can produce enough weapons-grade uranium for one bomb in six months.

In reality, by contrast, the Iranians may send their first warhead rolling out of the assembly line as early as next month.

Sounds to me like the "ribbon-cutting" ceremony is imminent.  Only question seemingly remaining is where they're going to bash it with the (72-virgin) champagne.