Officials: US intel preparing grim assessment on Iran's political situation

By JERUSALEM POST STAFF
A draft US intelligence report portrays a bleak political situation in Iran, anticipating little progress in getting Tehran to halt its nuclear program or stop supporting militant groups in the region, US officials said Thursday. The latest in a series of reports from the 16 US intelligence agencies, the new National Intelligence Estimate on Iran is nearly complete and could be shared with President George W. Bush and other policymakers within weeks, said officials familiar with the report, who spoke on condition of anonymity because it has not been released. The report is expected to be completed as soon as next week, one official said. It is one of three reports the intelligence community is wrapping up on the Persian Gulf. Another looks at Iran's nuclear program. And an update on the situation in Iraq is to be released Thursday. The report on Iran's political situation looks at issues ranging from the economy to its weapons programs, the officials said.