September 25, 2003	Thursday	Rajab 27, 1424

TEL AVIV, Sept 24: Israel’s military chief of staff issued a warning on Wednesday over the danger represented by non-conventional weapons of “an irresponsible” state such as Iran.

“The fact that a country like Iran, an enemy (of Israel) and which is particularly irresponsible, has equipped itself with non-conventional weapons is worrying,” Gen Moshe Yaalon told military radio.

“The combination in this case of a non-conventional regime with non-conventional weapons is a concern,” Mr Yaalon said in an interview to mark the Jewish new year.

“At the moment there is ongoing international diplomatic activity to deal with this threat and it would be good if it succeeds.

“But if that is not the case we would consider our options,” the general added.

Israel has come to regard Iran as its chief military threat since the downfall of Saddam Hussein’s government in Iraq.

It warned last month that a new ballistic missile that was officially inaugurated by Iran’s supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei represented a threat to the Middle East.—AFP