Another example of Iranian hubris and brogaddacio.  DEBKAfile has reported

that Iran has launched a three-stage rocket carrying a research lab, and Iran’s nuclear chief announced Iran now has more than 5,000 centrifuges operating at its uranium enrichment plant, flatly defying UN resolutions.

Explorer-2, a three-stage rocket, spent 40 minutes in space; the space lab aboard was parachuted to land. DEBKAfile’s military sources report that this was the first time Iran had launched a three-stage rocket like the Israeli Shavit.

This is significant because military experts noted that the same long-range ballistic technology applies equally to putting satellites in space and launching weapons capable of carrying nuclear warheads.

Debka continues:

Unfortunately, say DEBKAfile’s military sources, Israeli leaders appear to have fallen behind the alarming events rushing forward in Iran: In a single week, the UN nuclear watchdog reported Tehran had stocked enough enriched uranium to make its first A-Bomb, while US analysts expect the Iranian to be able to make three bombs by the end of 2009.

The Kavosh-2 launch shows Iran may have already perfected the missile technology to deliver warheads. However, instead of addressing this peril, defense minister Ehad Barak is mired in a huge effort to hold back a military operation in the Gaza Strip, keep his Labor party from crumbling and battling the Hebron Jewish community.

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