US, Israel see eye to eye on Iran threat

lsrael and the US see nearly eye-to-eye on the threat of a nuclear Iran, differing only on when Teheran will be able to build an atomic bomb, a key American senator told The Jerusalem Post on Monday.

"There is now and always has been a slight difference of opinion about the precise timing of the threat of [a nuclear] Iran, but in response to the fundamental nature of Iran's desire to acquire nuclear weapons, and its ongoing development of fuels for that purpose, there is no difference of opinion in that regard," said Sen. Jon Kyl (R-Arizona).

Recent intelligence assessments provided to the Knesset's Foreign Affairs and Defense Committee suggested that Iran could have a nuclear weapon by the end of 2009. US intelligence estimates, however, say it will take the Islamic Republic at least one year longer.

Kyl is the Senate minority whip and a close ally of Sen. John McCain (R-Arizona), the front-runner for the Republican presidential nomination.

Kyl, who led a group of four US legislators in the Bicameral Delegation on US-Israeli security issues in a visit to the country this week, said they had access to the "full picture" of the recent US National Intelligence Estimate on Iran, and fully understood the threat posed by Teheran acquiring nuclear weapons. More