Sharon to tell Bush Iran is top threat

JERUSALEM Ñ Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon plans to make the Iranian threat a leading issue in his discussions with U.S. President George Bush next week.

Government sources said Sharon will highlight the Iranian missile and nonconventional threat during his meetings with Bush as well as with Congress. Bush and Sharon will meet on Tuesday. On Thursday, Sharon convenes his advisers to discuss the agenda for his meeting with Bush.

The prime minister is expected to assert that Iran is prominent in virtually every threat confronting Israel. This includes the escalation of the Palestinian mini-war, Middle East missile threats, nonconventional weapons and the tension along the northern border with Lebanon.

Sharon will ask the United States to increase pressure on Iran's suppliers to stop the transfer of missiles and nuclear technology to Teheran. Officials said Iran appears to want to complete its Shihab-3 intermediate missile program this year.

"I think there is also a danger of Iran getting long-range missiles, thanks to support from North Korea and Russia," Sharon said in an interview to the U.S. Newsweek magazine. "The most dangerous thing is that Iran has become the center of world radical Islamic terror. Hamas and Islamic Jihad, Hizbullah is involved in terror inside Israel. They are backed by Iran and have the sympathy of Syria."

Officials said Iran and Russia plan to sign a major arms contract in May. They said the issue is being discussed by Russian National Security Council adviser Sergei Ivanov and senior U.S. officials.

Chief of Staff Lt.Gen. Shaul Mofaz said the combination of Iranian missiles and nonconventional warheads makes Teheran the greatest threat against Israel.

"We believe that the U.S. administration should put this issue on the front burner, and try to prevent any kind of Russian support for the Iranians, and Iraq," Mofaz said.

Military sources said that Israel has evidence that suggests that Iran could complete a nuclear bomb within the next year.