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Transport Minister Shaul Mofaz (Ofer Vaknin)
Last update - 17:10 01/05/2008
Mofaz, at Yale: Iran could have nuke bomb technology this year
By The Associated Press
Tags: Hillary Clinton, nuclear 

Transportation Minister and former defense Minister Shaul Mofaz said Wednesday that Iran could have nuclear bomb technology as early as this year.

Speaking at Yale University, Mofaz warned that Iran is progressing steadily with its nuclear program and will have the knowhow to build a bomb within months, his spokeswoman Talia Somech said.

Speaking on Israeli Army Radio Thursday, Mofaz said Israel should be prepared for such a scenario. Mofaz was in the U.S. holding talks with American intelligence officials.
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In addition to his tenure as defense minister under former prime minister Ariel Sharon, Mofaz has also served as the Israel Defense Forces chief of staff.

Prime Minister Ehud Olmert's office would not comment on Mofaz's
assessment of the Iranian program.

Earlier Israeli assessments had estimated Iran would reach that point only in 2009 or 2010.

A recent U.S. intelligence assessment maintains Tehran stopped developing a bomb in 2003. Israel insists Tehran continues to aggressively pursue nuclear weapons.

Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad has often called for Israel's destruction.

Israel considers Iran a main strategic threat because of Ahmadinejad's threats, Iran's long-range missile program and the suspected nuclear arms development project.

At a ceremony Wednesday night to mark Holocaust Martyrs' and Heroes' Remembrance Day, President Shimon Peres drew a comparison between the Nazi genocide and the threat from Iran's nuclear ambitions.

Iran condemns Hillary Clinton for threat to 'totally obliterate' it

Iran strongly condemned presidential candidate Hillary Rodham Clinton for threatening to attack and totally obliterate the country if it uses nuclear weapons.

Late Wednesday, Iran's deputy UN ambassador, Mehdi Danesh-Yazdi, called an April 22 statement on ABC television by the New York senator, who is seeking the Democratic presidential nomination, provocative, unwarranted and irresponsible and a flagrant violation of the UN Charter.

Clinton was asked by ABC News' Chris Cuomo in an interview that aired on Good Morning America what she would do if she wins the White House and Iran attacked Israel with nuclear weapons, according to the ABC News Web site.

"The question was, 'If Iran were to launch a nuclear attack on Israel, what would our response be?' And I want the Iranians to know that if I'm president, we will attack Iran to retaliate against an Iranian nuclear hit on Israel," Clinton said.

"In the next 10 years, during which they might foolishly consider launching an attack on Israel, we would be able to totally obliterate them."

Danesh-Yazdi's letter used a partial quote that did not mention an attack on Israel. It said Clinton unwarrantedly and under erroneous and false pretexts threatened to use force against the Islamic Republic of Iran.

The Iranians sent the letter to UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon and asked that he circulate it to the Security Council.

The council has imposed three rounds of gradually tougher sanctions on Iran for refusing to suspend uranium enrichment. Iran insists it is enriching uranium to produce nuclear energy for peaceful purposes, but the U.S., key European nations and other countries suspect Tehran's real motive is to eventually produce nuclear weapons.

In the letter, Danesh-Yazdi said Iran is a leading nation in rejecting and opposing all kinds of weapons of mass destruction, including nuclear weapons. He added that Iran has repeatedly declared that nuclear weapons as the most lethal and inhumane weapons have no place in the defense doctrine of the country.

"Iran has also campaigned to make the Middle East a Nuclear Weapons Free Zone since 1974," he said.

"Moreover, I wish to reiterate my government's position that the Islamic
Republic of Iran has no intention to attack any other nations, Danesh-Yazdi said. Nonetheless ... Iran would not hesitate to act in self-defense to respond to any attack against the Iranian nation and to take appropriate defensive measures to protect itself as authorized under the UN Charter."

In April, Minister of National Infrastructures and former defense minister Benjamin Ben-Eliezer sent Iran a similar warning to that of Clinton's, saying "an Iranian attack on Israel will lead to a harsh response by Israel that will cause the destruction of the Iranian nation."

Related articles:
  • Clinton vows 'massive' U.S. retaliation if Iran attacks Israel
  • Ben-Eliezer: If Iran attacks Israel, we will destroy it
  • PM: Iran will not be nuclear
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      1.   Isnt threatening Israel`s destruction also a violation?? 08:53  |  SLAVO 01/05/08
      2.   Can Israel say it has no intention of attacking Iran? 09:53  |  JK 01/05/08
      3.   Can Someone In Iran Slip Some Academic Texts Into The Library ... 10:00  |  Lavi 01/05/08
      4.   #1 rhetorical sure, perhaps misleading? 10:15  |  chris 01/05/08
      5.   Please, please bomb the crap out of Iran for us. Go on. Be a pal. 10:43  |  Clickfool 01/05/08
      6.   Obliterate Iran NOW and bfore the return of the Mahdi 11:31  |  Stuart 01/05/08
      7.   We can?t afford to wait : Time has come for action. 12:12  |  Jean Van Daem 01/05/08
      8.   This is also Ahmadenijehad´s last year in office 14:03  |  AliciaYasmeen 01/05/08
      9.   May be olmert last year, not ahmadinejad 14:10  |  Farid 01/05/08
      10.   Farid: Israel´s PM lies in hospital in coma 14:58  |  AliciaYasmeen 01/05/08
      11.   Mofaz-listening to Our Intelligence Agent liars like Yehuda Gil 15:08  |  Yossi Cronenberg 01/05/08
      12.   Splendid! Iran is a sovereign state that has the right to develop 15:09  |  lakshmi 01/05/08
      13.   HAMAS Charter clearly says Islam is to OBLITERATE Israel.! 15:20  |  PETER SM 01/05/08
      14.   Nukes pave the road to peace 15:46  |  Peace 01/05/08
      15.   Mofaz awarded rating 15:50  |  Mark Lincoln 01/05/08
      16.   Clickfool 16:00  |  Wally 01/05/08
      17.   #15 Lincoln & you are awarded 5 shovels 16:15  |  * BEN JABO 01/05/08
      18.   Speaker at Yale ??? The level of education goes down 16:16  |  Sal 01/05/08
      19.   Clickfool`s logic could be deadly 16:44  |  Sam 01/05/08
      20.   iranian cry babies 16:46  |  ross 01/05/08
      21.   Jews are all over the world. in Israel and America. make peace ! 16:49  |  Iran, get smart ! 01/05/08
      22.   Same school of Master Liar 18:26  |  El-Birawi 01/05/08
      23.   Iran COULD have nukes. Israel COULD take peace seriously. 18:28  |  Michael 01/05/08
      24.   The Minister for Pot Holes goes off on one.....again 18:30  |  Chris Linthwaite 01/05/08
      25.   The weekly dose of Iranian threat. 18:40  |  Axel 01/05/08
      26.   Propaganda bs 19:51  |  Dav 01/05/08
      27.   The weakly dose - all clap 20:47  |  Mark Lincoln 01/05/08
      28.   Mofaz states that he cannot rule out a military strike 20:49  |  Chris Linthwaite 01/05/08
      29.   Ben Blabo 20:51  |  Mark Lincoln 01/05/08
      30.   #29 Stinkin Lincoln - Shovel too heavy for you? 21:47  |  * BEN JABO 01/05/08
      31.   Dogs bark and the caravan is moving 23:11  |  Iranian 01/05/08
      32.   #23 michael still struggling to understand the world 23:29  |  v hardman 01/05/08
      33.   Iran has nuclear cover - now 00:19  |  whoopsie 02/05/08
      34.   Why haven`t we destroyed Iran`s nuclear bomb potential? 01:14  |  Chaim 02/05/08
      35.   it is 5 years that Israleis say the same thing 02:23  |  kia 02/05/08
      36.   LAKSHMI.Iran has obligations under the NPT it signed 02:31  |  PETER SM 02/05/08
      37.   Mutual Deterrence Has Worked Before 02:52  |  Knott Bushman 02/05/08
      38.   jean van daem 7 03:50  |  potobac 02/05/08
      39.   Chaim 04:55  |  Mark Lincoln 02/05/08
      40.   Knott Bushman 05:01  |  Mark Lincoln 02/05/08
      41.   kia - hysterical fools need no reality 05:05  |  Mark Lincoln 02/05/08
      42.   If Iran was serious about a bomb 05:06  |  Mark Lincoln 02/05/08
      43.   A lesson for everyone 05:11  |  Mark Lincoln 02/05/08
      44.   One Year Away 05:18  |  Trevor 02/05/08
      45.   Olmert is doing nothing to stop Iran because he a defeatist 05:20  |  ROB SCHWARTZ 02/05/08
      46.   Mark Lincoln 05:52  |  Cipora Julianna Kohn 02/05/08
      47.   TO PETER SM #35 05:54  |  Steve Beikirch 02/05/08
      48.   TO MARK LINCOLN #29 06:00  |  Steve Beikirch 02/05/08
      49.   Criminal-crimes against humanity 06:05  |  beijing0808 02/05/08
      50.   POTOBAC There were NO threats from Israel till Khomeini & other 06:29  |  PETER SM 02/05/08
      51.   clicky oh clicky where are you 06:30  |  Alan the real one 02/05/08
      52.   re 12 Lakshmi will come back as a mad mullah 06:36  |  Alan the real one 02/05/08
      53.   BEIKRICH The fact is Israel has not,Iran has!. Why? 06:55  |  PETER SM 02/05/08
      54.   MarkL"the US had stripped Europe of the ability to respond" 07:16  |  Cipora Julianna Kohn 02/05/08
      55.   For Mark Lincoln, on a possible scenario # 27 09:29  |  Clickfool 02/05/08
      56.   For Mark Lincoln, on America turned rabid # 40 09:35  |  Clickfool 02/05/08
      57.   For Mark, on Iran being serious about a nuke # 42 09:39  |  Clickfool 02/05/08
      58.   To El-Birawi even AlQaida said Iran is a lier 15:49  |  Abu yUSUF 02/05/08
      59.   If he can`t take out a kassam how`s he gonna take out Iran`s nuke 16:19  |  words, words 02/05/08
      60.   #48 Steve Beikirch 16:44  |  * BEN JABO 02/05/08
      61.   Beirkirch - Qana Video-http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0fLzkzFCD 18:02  |  * BEN JABO 02/05/08
      62.   Farid - Ahmedinidjad lost the parliament 21:18  |  reid 02/05/08
      63.   Lakhshmi doesn`t believe Iran`s Propaganda 21:21  |  Reid 02/05/08
      64.   TO BEN JABO #60 & #61 03:48  |  Steve Beikirch 04/05/08
      65.   #64 Beikirch - you have a problem comprehending a video? 06:56  |  * BEN JABO 04/05/08
      66.   #59 words words 07:20  |  * BEN JABO 04/05/08
      67.   Remember Russia 21:02  |  Paul 04/05/08
      68.   responding to nuclear investigation program 10:36  |  Amir 14/05/08
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