Iran on 'threshold' of nuclear capability; Israel tensions rise

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Iran is on the threshold of nuclear capability by mastering the critical steps needed to build a weapon after receiving assistance from a foreign scientist.

The country has overcome key technical hurdles with the help of a former Soviet weapon scientist and crucial technology linked to experts in Pakistan and North Korea, Washington Post reported quoting Western diplomats.

The diplomats and nuclear experts briefed on the findings by UN officials said a rouge Soviet scientist had tutored Iranians over several years on building high-precision detonators for the weapons. The intelligence update would be circulated among members of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) this week and is expected to focus on Iran's alleged efforts towards putting radioactive material in a warhead and developing missiles.

Fears that Iran could quickly build an atomic bomb, if it choses, has fueled new threats of military strikes. Israeli President Shimon Peres yesterday warned that an attack on Iran was 'more and more likely', days before the report by the UN nuclear watchdog.

He told Israeli private television's second channel: "The intelligence services of the different countries that are keeping an eye on (Iran) are worried and putting pressure on their leaders to warn that Iran is ready to obtain the nuclear weapon."
The key breakthrough in Iran's quest for nuclear weapons was its success in obtaining design information for a device known as R265 generator.

'Israel is bound to collapse'

Meanwhile, Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad has accused the United States and Israel of seeking world support for a military strike on Iran.

In comments published on Monday, he also warned against what several Israelis believe, is an 'imminent strike'.

Ahmadinejad, in an interview with Egypt's state-owned Al-Akhbar newspaper, lashed out at Israel after Peres warned at the weekend that an attack on Iran is becoming increasingly likely.

Israel, Iran's arch-enemy, was 'bound to collapse', Ahmadinejad said.

"Iran's capabilities are increasing and it is progressing, and for that reason it has been able to compete in the world. Now Israel and the West, particularly America, fear Iran's capabilities and role," he said.

"Therefore they are trying to gather international support for a military operation to stop (Iran's) role. The arrogant should know that Iran will not allow them to take any action against it," he said.

Ahmadinejad, who repeated Iran's frequent denials that the Islamic state is not seeking nuclear weapons and that its atomic programme is for peaceful purposes only, added that Washington wanted to 'save the Zionist entity, but it will not be able to do so'.

"This entity (Israel) can be compared to a liver transplanted in a body that rejected it," he said. "Yes it will collapse and its end will be near."