TEHRAN -- Iraq is not the only target of the Bush administration. Other Middle Eastern countries, including Washington's closest ally, Saudi Arabia, may also become the targets of new U.S. plans, under the guise of "war against terrorism".

Some sources close to the U.S. administration have urged Bush to launch attacks on Iran and Saudi Arabia following the raid on Iraq, the U.S.-based *****Newsweek ****said in its Internet issue.

Meanwhile, in order to prepare the grounds for a possible anti-Saudi measure, a pro-Israeli analyst of Middle Eastern affairs, Simon Anderson, said that Saudi Arabia had rendered millions of dollars in assistance to Bin Laden.

"I am sure Saudi Arabia has paid millions of dollars to Bin Laden", he said on the Fox News Network. He said the Saudi officials had given millions of dollars to Bin Laden following the Khobar explosions and had even continued their assistance after the September 11 attacks.

He stressed that he was sure two Saudi princes had given money to Bin Laden.

Analysts here believe that the Zionist regime is fanning the flames of anti-Muslim sentiments in the United States.

One reason for doing so is that a new war in the Middle East would be ideal for Tel Aviv, for under such circumstances all attentions will be concentrated on the war and the Zionist regime will be having a freer hand to exterminate the resistance movement in the occupied territories, one analyst told the TEHRAN TIMES in a telephone conversation. "In fact Bush is determined to secure his hold over the oil-rich Persian Gulf region", he said, adding, "this is why under the pretext of establishing democracy in the Arab world he may try to bring about some changes in Saudi Arabia or some other countries."

According to the *****Newsweek **** the U.S. objectives go beyond the overthrow of Saddam Hussien, and may include some targets in Iran and Saudi Arabia. Earlier, Bush had asked for the removal of the Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat.

Relations between Iran and the United States were cut off in 1980. During the Clinton Administration there were some overtures for rapprochement between the two but due to conflicts of interest between various political groups in Iran and between the White House and Congress in the United States, no progress was made.

Although Saudi Arabia is a staunch ally of the United States, there have been some problems in bilateral ties in recent months.

According to Agance France Presse (AFP) Prince Saud Al-Faisal has said that his country will not surrender the 16 Al-Qaeda members to the United States. It is said that the suspects were handed over to Saudi Arabia by Iran after they were arrested while trying to escape from Afghanistan via Iran, following the U.S. attacks.

However, Saudi Arabia has said that it will share the information garnered from the suspects with the United States.

The U.S. Rand Corporation, a U.S. conservative think tank, recently released a report in which it labeled Saudi Arabia as a center of terror.

The above developments show that Washington is trying to pressure Saudi Arabia into consenting to a U.S. raid on Iraq. Saudi Arabia has not yet agreed to military attacks on Iraq and believes that the problem should be solved through diplomatic measures.

Although an attack is on the U.S. agenda, owing to the opposition by regional countries, as well as Russia, France, and a number of other European countries, Washington has so far refrained from announcing a timetable for the attack.

Another problem is the alternative to Saddam Hussien. There are differences of opinion among the Iraqi opposition. Despite their recent meetings in London and Washington, they are yet to set aside their differences and reach a consensus.