The head of U.S. Central Command, which oversees wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, expressed confidence on Tuesday that Iran would not have a nuclear weapon by the end of this year.

Western powers suspect that Iran's nuclear program is aimed at making weapons, while Tehran claims it is pursuing nuclear technology for its civilian energy needs.

"Iran continues to develop and improve its uranium enrichment infrastructure and is likely to use its gas centrifuges to produce fissile material for a weapon, should it make the political decision to do so," U.S. General David Petraeus told the U.S. Senate Armed Services Committee.

"It has, thankfully, slid to the right a bit and it is not this calendar year, I don't think," he said when asked when Iran would have such a weapon.

Iran has so far defied international calls to halt uranium enrichment and vowed to pursue its nuclear program despite three sets of UN sanctions imposed on the country.

Iran's recent move to begin enriching uranium to 20% sparked a new wave of international criticism, with the U.S. leading calls for new harsher sanctions against the Islamic Republic.

Petraeus reiterated on Tuesday that the current U.S. policy was "very clear" in that "Iran cannot have nuclear weapons."

WASHINGTON, March 16 (RIA Novosti)