FRESH WORRY OVER IRAN

Israel worried as Russia sends nuclear fuel to Iran (REUTERS)
MOSCOW (Reuters) - Israel said on Thursday that Russian deliveries of nuclear fuel to Iran might help Tehran develop nuclear weapons.

Russia last month delivered the first shipment of nuclear fuel to Iran's first nuclear power plant in Bushehr, a step which both Moscow and Washington said should convince Tehran to stop its own uranium enrichment programme.

But Israeli Foreign Minister Tzipi Livni said during a visit to Russia that the fuel might help Iran develop its nuclear weapons programme.

"Now Russia has started delivering nuclear fuel to Bushehr, (Iran's) uranium enrichment may serve military goals," Russian news agencies quoted Livni as saying.


Iran Accelerating Missile Work, U.S. Says
The head of the U.S. missile defense program sought Wednesday to bolster Washington's argument for anti-missile sites in Europe by warning that Iran has sped up development of long-range missiles. "They are developing missiles today in an accelerated pace," Lt. Gen. Henry Obering said in Prague. "They're developing ranges of missiles that go far beyond anything they would need in a regional fight, for example, with Israel," Obering said. "Why are they developing missiles today that...will be possible to reach Europe in few years?" he asked. (AP/USA Today)