Iran is trying to forge deeper ties with, or even assume control of, the terrorist organization al Qaeda. This would produce a truly terrifying sequence of events, Western intelligence officials are warning.

“We are looking at a Doomsday scenario here where al Qaeda finally fulfills its ultimate goal of acquiring weapons of mass destruction,” the November 15Telegraph reported, quoting an unnamed Western official who expressed concern regarding the growing relationship between Iran and al Qaeda.

Questions about the status of al Qaeda’s top man, Osama bin Laden, swirl within the intelligence community. Various reports have him dead, dying or suffering from health problems. With bin Laden’s number-two man, Ayman al-Zawahiri, running the organization, intelligence officials are operating under the assumption that bin Laden’s ability to influence and control al Qaeda has been severely curtailed.

While this may be cause for quiet celebration among Western leaders, Iran sees it as an opportunity: The time to try and take control of al Qaeda has arrived.

“Western intelligence officials now believe that Iran is trying to cultivate a new generation of al Qaeda leaders who will be prepared to work closely with Tehran when they eventually take control,” the Telegraph said.

Iran is pressuring al Qaeda to accept Iranian sponsored leadership for the organization, trying to install an Egyptian-born colonel, Saif al-Adel, as al Qaeda’s number three. As the Telegraph reports, considering Osama bin Laden’s health, or in the case of his death, that would make Adel al Qaeda’s second. “This would put [Adel] in a strong position to take control of the entire al Qaeda network …” (ibid.).

Iran wants to be the unquestioned king of the south. Taking control of Sunni-led al Qaeda would certainly strengthen Iran’s grip on the Middle East. The world should be deeply alarmed at this power move.

Consider Iran’s history of sponsoring terror and its current drive to acquire the nuclear bomb; now add to this mix al Qaeda’s stated aim to acquire nuclear weapons. Clearly, this is a highly volatile situation for the West. Al Qaeda has already shown that it can strike anywhere on the globe.

For some time, Western intelligence officials have warned about the prospect of a nuclear attack within the United States or Britain, saying it is not a matter of if but when such a tragic scenario will play out. The growing relationship between Iran and al Qaeda brings this fear that much closer to reality.