Clock ticking on Iranian Nukes while US dithers

I am not sure what this headline means: MI chief: Iran has crossed 'technological threshold' in quest for nukes. There is not really any threshold except assembling a weapon and testing a delivery system. Nobody thinks Iran has done either, but they are accumulating the materials and the know how gradually.

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The real problem is that Iran is accumulating enriched uranium day by day, and testing new delivery and defense systems all the time, while the US temporizes. "Technological threshold" sounds impressive, but nothing essentiall changed in Iran in the last few months as far as anyone knows, not according to published reports.

 

Here's the story from Ha'aretz:

By Barak Ravid, Haaretz Correspondent and Reuters

 

Military Intellience chief Amos Yadlin said Sunday at the weekly cabinet meeting that "Iran has crossed the technological threshold" in its quest for nuclear arms.

 

"Arrival at military nuclear capability is a matter of strategy," Yadlin said. "Iran is accumulating hundreds of kilograms of enriched uranium at a low level and hopes to utilize the dialogue with the West in order to gain time, which is required in order to achieve the capability to manufacture a nuclear bomb."

 

Yadlin stressed that the American government's new approach of dialogue with Iran is being treated with caution in the Middle East.

 

"The moderate Arab states think this will come at their cost and will be used for negative purposes by Iran and Syria, who are dragging out time with the appearance of talks but are continuing to arm themselves and to support terrorism," Yadlin said. "The extremist axis hopes the U.S. will change its stance, but they suspect that it is a step that will only advance the formulation of a more efficient coalition against them."

 

Meanwhile, Iranian media reported on Sunday that Iran has test-fired a new air-to-surface missile, in the Islamic Republic's latest display of its military capability.

 

The missile test was carried out despite the offer by the administration of new U.S. President Barack Obama to engage Iran in direct talks if it "unclenches its fist".

 

Iran's Fars News Agency said the domestically produced missile had a range of 110 km (70 miles) and was designed for use by military aircraft against naval targets....