Special Report: Iran Nuclear Crisis

    JERUSALEM, Dec. 4 (Xinhua) -- Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert said on Tuesday that a new U.S. intelligence report on Iran's nuclear program justifies the need for tighter international sanctions on the Islamic republic to prevent it from acquiring nuclear weapons.

    Olmert was quoted by local daily Ha'aretz as saying that "we discussed this report with leaders of the (U.S.) administration."

    "It is vital to pursue efforts to prevent Iran from developing a capability like this and we will continue doing so along with our friends the United States," he added.

    The U.S. National Intelligence Estimate, which came out on Monday, found out that Iran stopped an effort to develop nuclear weapons in the fall of 2003 but it continues to enrich uranium.

    The estimate is less severe than a 2005 report that judged the Iranian leadership was "determined to develop nuclear weapons despite its international obligations and international pressure."

    But the latest report also said Iran could reverse that decision and eventually produce a nuclear weapon between 2010 and 2015 if it decided to do so.

    Responding to the report, Israeli Defense Minister Ehud Barak said on Tuesday that Iran had probably relaunched its nuclear weapons program.

    "It seems Iran in 2003 halted for a certain period of time its military nuclear program but as far as we know it has probably since revived it," Barak told Army Radio.

    Barak also said that "We cannot allow ourselves to rest just because of an intelligence report from the other side of the earth, even if it is from our greatest friend."

    An Israeli intelligence assessment has said that Iran could achieve a military nuclear capability as early as the end of 2009 or 2010.

    Meanwhile, Israeli Infrastructure Minister Binyamin Ben-Eliezer said that he "doesn't buy" the National Intelligence Estimate findings that Iran had stopped making a nuclear weapon, adding that Israel should "not take any risks" and keep up its campaign against Tehran.

    Iranian Foreign Minister Manouchehr Mottaki said on Tuesday the Islamic republic welcomed the new U.S. intelligence report.

    "We naturally welcome those countries that had questions about Iran's nuclear case in the past and now correct their views realistically," Mottaki was quoted as saying by the state radio.

    "The whole world is becoming to know that Iran's nuclear activities are peaceful," he added.