BICOM

According to Western experts briefed on the intelligence information due to be released in this week’s report by the International Atomic Energy Agency, Iran has already acquired the knowledge, technology and resources to build a nuclear bomb within months. The Washington Post reports that the new revelations in the UN nuclear watchdog’s report, due for release at the beginning of this week, provide details on a secret research programme that was more successful than commonly suspected.

The Washington Post quote David Albright, a former IAEA official who reviewed the agency’s findings, as saying that based on the intelligence the UN agency has concluded that Iran “has sufficient information to design and produce a workable implosion nuclear device” using highly enriched uranium as its fissile core. The Washington Post yesterday also reported that Iranian scientists had acquired their knowledge and training from foreign experts who are helping Teheran reach nuclear capability. The report indicated that the IAEA had received intelligence that showed former Soviet scientists and scientists from Pakistan and North Korea supporting Iran’s nuclear programme.

In related news, Israeli president and veteran statesman Shimon Peres said yesterday that Iran is the greatest threat faced by Israel. Peres’ comments came while he was addressing members of the Druze community in northern Israel. In an exclusive interview with Israel Hayom, the president said, “a military strike on Iran is growing more likely than the diplomatic option. Iran is getting closer to a nuclear bomb. It will probably happen within one year.” Peres stressed that the threat of a nuclear Iran is a global issue, where the international community needs to be more active.