WASHINGTON - The top U.S. general overseeing the Middle East said Thursday that Iran will probably test its new Shahab-3 missile - which could reach Israel -- very soon, and may have nuclear weapons shortly.

"I think (Iran) will have nuclear capability in a few years also," Gen. Anthony Zinni, commander-in-chief of U.S. Central Command, told the Association of the United States Army in Washington. His comments were reported by Inside Defense, an online news service.

Zinni said Iran is the longest-term threat to the United States and the greatest problem in the Persian Gulf region.

Zinni said Iran is already at work on Shahab-4, its next generation of the weapon.

"They have not disavowed the aims of the revolution, and they still have an intelligence service that is up to no good," Zinni warned, pointing out Iran's investments in sea mines, submarines and relocatable missiles as reasons to be concerned by the conventional threat the country poses.
 
 

PAVING WAY FOR NEW TERRORIST, MILITARY ATTACKS ON MOJAHEDIN, IRAN ZAMIN NEWS AGENCY, DECEMBER 9

According to reports from Iran, In a ridiculous act of stage-managing, the mullahs' Intelligence Ministry  today assembled a group of its operatives posing as "families of the martyrs and the wounded in the recent terrorist crime by the Monafeqin in Ahwaz" outside the German embassy in Tehran to call on "international forums" to condemn the Mojahedin and "put an end to supporting
them." The state-run Tehran Times wrote that a similar demonstration was to be held outside UN offices in Tehran.

In a statement issued by the Mojahedin, it said: "As the Mojahedin have declared repeatedly, the organization's operational units inside Iran have never targeted civilians or civilian installations. "

"The sole objective of the mullahs' regime in repeating such repetitious and discredited stage-managing is to pave the way for new terrorist and military attacks as well as air and missile strikes on the Mojahedin and the Iranian Resistance in Iraq. The Mojahedin have exposed some aspects of these preparations in the past few days," the statement added.
 

EDITOR HELD CULPABLE FOR COMPLAINTS LODGED BY INTELLIGENCE MINISTRY, (STATE NEWS AGENCY) IRNA, DECEMBER 9
 
TEHRAN - The press jury held director of Araya Persian daily Mohammad Reza zohdi culpable for the complaints lodged by the basij (volunteer forces) and the information ministry and gave notice to the director to observe ethics and national interest in writing stories.

The jury asked the director to observe the security issues and national interest in publishing the daily. The court will issue verdict on zohdi within one week.
 
 

EXPANSIONIST IDEAS?, IRAN ZAMIN NEWS AGENCY,  DECEMBER 9

State-controlled pro-Khatami daily Sobh-e Emrouz reported today that: "Mitofatov, Russian MP, called for Moscow to adopt measures as for re-annexing the republics of Georgia and Azerbaijan to Iranian territory.

"Addressing the Duma, he said Georgia and Azerbaijan were once parts of Iran's territory and to restore peace and stability to the Caucasus region the republics should be returned to Iran," the daily added.
 

RAFSANJANI TO RUN FOR MULLAHS' PARLIAMENT TO "RESOLVE PROBLEMS", AGENCE FRANCE PRESSE, DECEMBER 9

TEHRAN, - Hashemi Rafsanjani said Thursday he intended to run for parliament as an independent in the February elections.

"I reached the conclusion that if my presence can help to resolve a problem I should be there," Rafsanjani said.

"Divisions are dangerous, I am against monopolies in politics, and I am monopolized by no one group," he said.
 

MEMBER OF PRO-KHATAMI GROUP SAYS "RELATIONS WITH U.S. AGAINST NATIONAL INTERESTS", IRAN ZAMIN NEWS AGENCY, DECEMBER 9

State-controlled daily Tehran Times reported today that a member of the [pro-Khatami] "Islamic Iran Participation Front (IIPF) Mohsen Mirdamadi yesterday said that relations with the United States are against national interests. He added that establishing ties with that country at this juncture will not benefit the Islamic system."
 

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