WASHINGTON, May 31: The Bush administration has authorized the CIA to launch covert operations inside Iran to achieve a regime change in that country, say reports published in the US media on Thursday.

The reports, quoting unnamed intelligence sources, claimed that President George W. Bush directly approved the plan which would allow the CIA to launch the so-called ‘black’ operations inside Iran. Mr Bush, the reports said, has signed an official document endorsing CIA plans for propaganda and disinformation campaign intended to destabilise, and eventually topple, the Iranian government.

The reports claimed that the CIA is supplying money and weapons to an Iranian group called Jundullah, which has conducted raids into Iran from bases in Pakistan.

Some media reports criticised this new turn in US policy, pointing out that until recently Jundullah was affiliated with al-Qaeda, the terrorist groups responsible for the Sept. 11, 2001 terrorist attacks in the United States.

Jundullah was formerly headed by alleged 9/11 mastermind Khalid Sheikh Mohammed who is now in US custody facing terrorism charges, the reports said.

Iran claimed on Saturday that it has uncovered spy rings organised by America and its Western allies. The Iranian Intelligence Ministry said the espionage networks were made up of elements that had entered western, south-western and central Iran to carry out sabotage operations.