Iran Nuke

JERUSALEM =97  An Israel Cabinet minister says Iran could have nuclear
bomb technology in 2008, at least a year earlier than previously
believed.

Shaul Mofaz, a former defense minister and military chief, said in a
speech Wednesday at Yale University in the United States that Iran
could have the knowhow to build nuclear arms within months, his
spokeswoman Talia Somech said Thursday. Despite international
sanctions meant to persuade Iran to stop the program, Tehran is
steadily progressing with its pursuit of nuclear technology, Somech
cited Mofaz as saying.

Mofaz is in the U.S. holding talks with American intelligence
officials.

Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert's office would not comment on
Mofaz's new *****sment of the Iranian program.

Iran denies it is trying to build bombs, insisting its program is
meant to produce energy. But Israel, the U.S. and other countries are
skeptical. Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad has threatened to
destroy Israel.

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