An Israeli minister claims technical issues are delaying Iran's ambitions of building nuclear weapons.
Strategic Affairs Minister Moshe Yaalon told Israel Radio Wednesday that Iran's efforts have been delayed longer than Israeli intelligence previously believed. He added that Tehran could possibly produce nuclear weapons within the next three years.
Yaalon - a former military chief of staff - did not elaborate on Iran's technical difficulties or what the new assessment was based on.
Iran denies its nuclear program is for anything but peaceful use.
Tehran has blamed Israel and the United States for the abduction and killing of several top nuclear scientists.
Israeli officials have been backing U.S.-led efforts to impose sanctions on Iran to prevent the government from moving ahead with its disputed nuclear program.
Israel says other options - including the use of military force - should be considered when dealing with Tehran.
The United Nations Security Council has imposed four rounds of sanctions against Iran for its refusal to cooperate over international demands on the nuclear issue.
Some information for this report was provided by AP, AFP and Reuters.
