Has Iran Stopped It's Nuclear Bomb Program?

Defense Minister Ehud Barak, right, meets with Chairman of the US Joint Chiefs of Staff General Martin Dempsey in Tel Aviv on Sunday (photo credit: Ariel Hermoni/Defense Ministry/Flash90)

Iran Pulls Back From Nuclear Bomb Goal: Israeli Defense Minister -- Reuters

(Reuters) - Iran has drawn back from its ambitions to build a nuclear weapon, Israel's defense minister was quoted as saying on Tuesday, while warning that his country may still have to decide next year whether to launch a military strike against it.

Tehran denies its nuclear work has any military dimensions but governments in Europe and the United States are increasingly concerned over its intentions.

Diplomacy and successive rounds of economic sanctions have so far failed to end the decade-old row, raising fears of Israeli military action against its arch-enemy.

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More News On Israel's Defense Chief Comments That Iran Has Drawn Back Plans To Build Nuclear Weapons

Israeli Defense Chief Says Iran Postponed Nuclear Ambitions -- New York Times
Defense Minister: Iran delayed nuclear program -- Jerusalem Post
Israeli official: Iran pulled back from the brink -- CBS
Iran temporarily put nuclear bomb ambitions on hold: Barak -- AFP
Barak: Iran used up some of its uranium this summer, pushing back ‘moment of truth’ 8 to 10 months -- Times of Israel
Iran steps back -- Telegraph editorial

New U.S. Intelligence Brings Worries Over Iran's Nuclear Program

(Credit: CBS)

Israel Defense Chief Suggests U.S. Has New Intelligence Bringing Worries Over Iran In Line With Israel's -- CBS

(CBS News) LONDON - Israel's defense chief suggested Thursday that the U.S. has new intelligence that changes the American assessment of the imminent danger represented by Iran's clandestine nuclear work, bringing its views closer to those held by the Jewish state.

An article published Thursday by the Haaretz newspaper said Defense Minister Ehud Barak had "confirmed" the paper's earlier report that Mr. Obama had received a new National Intelligence Estimate (NIE) "which shares Israel's view that Iran has made surprising, significant progress toward military nuclear capability."

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More News On U.S. And Israeli Concerns On Iran's Nuclear Program

Iran's atomic project getting harder to assess - Barak -- Reuters
New US report on Iran nukes 'makes issue urgent' -- RT
US Intelligence Reported to Obama: Iran’s Nuclear Program Nearing Critical Phase -- Jewish Press
Obama gets new U.S. NIE: Iran making surprising progress toward nuclear capability -- Haaretz
Barak: New U.S. intelligence report raises urgency over Iran's nuclear program -- Haaretz
Could Israel Safely Deter a Nuclear Iran? -- Louis Renè Beres and General John T. Chain, The Atlantic

My Comment: The Israeli government and press are apoplectic over this new leaked U.S. intelligence assessment. The U.S. government and press .... little if any comment.

Update #1: Iran closing in on its goal: Nuclear weaponization -- Jennifer Rubin, Washington Post
Update #2: U.S. still believes Iran not on verge of nuclear weapon -- Reuters