THE THREAT FROM IRAN

Mossad: Iran Greatest Threat to Israel - Amnon Meranda
Mossad chief Meir Dagan told the Knesset Foreign Affairs and Defense Committee on Monday that Iran, Syria, Hizbullah, and Hamas have joined forces against Israel. He said that according to some security estimates, Iran will obtain nuclear capabilities by 2009, while more optimistic estimates say Iran won't go nuclear before the end of 2010. He added that the recent U.S. National Intelligence Estimate may hinder international efforts to impose fresh sanctions on Tehran. (Ynet News)

Iran will have nuclear weapon in three years: Mossad (AFP)
Israel's Mossad spy agency estimates Iran will develop a nuclear weapon within three years and continue to provide rockets to regional armed groups, a newspaper reported on Tuesday.
Mossad director Meir Dagan, in an intelligence assessment presented to Israel's powerful foreign affairs and defence committee on Monday, said the Jewish state would face increased threats on all fronts, Maariv daily said.

Dagan's estimate of Iran's nuclear ambitions differs sharply from an assessment by the US intelligence community late last year that said Iran had mothballed its nuclear weapons programme in 2003.

That report compiled by 16 US intelligence agencies said the Islamic republic would not be able to attain a nuclear weapon until 2015.

Israel has questioned those findings, claiming that although Iran may have temporarily halted its nuclear drive five years ago it has since relaunched it while pressing ahead with a public uranium enrichment programme.

Iran Launches Research Rocket, Unveils Space Center (FOXNEWS)
TEHRAN, Iran — Iran launched a research rocket Monday and unveiled its first major space center that will be used to launch research satellites, state-run television reported.

The report said the rocket, which is capable of carrying a satellite, was the first launched by Iran "into space," but analysts have expressed doubts about similar technological achievements announced by the country in the past.

Iran launched its first domestically built rocket last February, which soared to the edge of space but did not reach orbit level.

"The first Iranian rocket Explorer-1 was fired into space," state-run television reported Monday.