Iran Hours from Going Nuclear

Iran is hours from being a nuclear capable state.  "Iran began fuelling its first nuclear power plant on Saturday, a potent symbol of its growing regional sway and rejection of international sanctions designed to prevent it building a nuclear bomb."


This has dramatic consequences not only for Israel, but for the Arab world and the entire region.  Certainly, this is a major step towards Iran being capable of developin an atomic bomb.  Whether Israel will take steps to prevent this from happening by the use of military force is yet to be seen.
 
However, there is no doubt that Israel is very concerned about this development.  In the past, Israeli leaders have made clear that they cannot accept a nuclear armed Iran.  Saudi Arabia, Oman, the UAE and other Arab states are similarly worried about Iran becoming a regional hegemonic power through an acquisition of a nuclear weapon.
 
It may be that only regime change could reverse Iran's progress towards "the bomb".  The Obama administration appears unwilling to use anything but international sanctions to prevent Iran from this acquisition.  But history has shown that sanctions are rather useless in preventing such a step, as was seen with North Korea.
 
Israel has been developing missile defence systems to counter attacks by Iran and other militant groups.  A strike against Iran could lead to violence with Lebanon, Syria, and even other Arab states at "peace" with Israel.
 
Time will tell.