U.S. TURNS UP HEAT ON IRAN

Administration officials dug in after President Clinton's decision Sunday tosever all trade with Iran, warning that the Gulf power would soonbecome a threatening nuclear powerif other nations do not follow the U.S. lead. "If Iran gets substantial foreign help, it'll be able to build nuclear weapons sooner rather than later," Secretary of State Warren Christopher told a news conference. Going into greater detail than ever before, Christopher said that for the past decade Iran has tried to produce plutonium and highly enriched uranium.TIME White House correspondent James Carneysays Clinton is trying to use his tough example to persuade RussianPresident Boris Yeltsinto drop plans to sell Iran nuclear power plant technology when the two meet at next week's summit in Moscow. Administration officials are also pressing China, which has made Iran a similar nuclear offer.