NICOSIA [MENL] -- Iran has blamed Israel for a reported CIA assessment that
Teheran has nuclear weapons.
The charge came as newspapers aligned with the regime on Wednesday
launched an attack on the Jewish state, saying it has more deadly weapons
than anybody in the Middle East. The Iranian Foreign Ministry has already
denied the report in the New York Times.
The U.S. newspaper said the CIA has told the Clinton administration that
it can no longer rule out the prospect that Teheran has acquired nuclear
weapons and technology from the former Soviet Union.
The Teheran Times said the U.S. report was planted by so-called Zionist
elements who sought to divert international opinion from Israel's enormous
quantity of weapons of mass destruction. The newspaper also cited the
U.S.-financed Radio Liberty as a source for the report.
Teheran Times said Iran's nuclear program is for peaceful purposes and
it has allowed the International Atomic Energy Agency to inspect nuclear
facilities.
"Who has nuclear weapons in the Middle East?" the newspaper asked. "Only
Israel has nuclear weapons at its disposal. Will Israel allow the
international inspectors to verify whether it has deadly weapons or not? Or
can
the pro-Zionist U.S. administration give the guarantee that the Zionist
entity does not have nuclear weapons? The entire world knows that the U.S.
cannot do so, as it has provided nuclear facilities to its illegitimate
ally."
