The United States is not preparing for war with Iran, Secretary
of State Condoleezza Rice said on Friday in response to the UN
nuclear watchdog chief's remarks against using force to stop Iran's
nuclear program.
"The president of the United States has made it very clear what
our policy is. That policy is supported by all the members of his
cabinet and by the vice president of the United States," Rice said
referring to US opposition to Iran's nuclear activities.
Her words came after talks with Spanish Foreign Minister Miguel
Moratinos in Madrid. Earlier, the U.N. nuclear watchdog agency
chief Mohamed ElBaradei had cautioned against military action to
halt Iran's nuclear program.
"I have no brief other than to make sure we don't go into
another war or that we go crazily into killing each other. You do
not want to give additional argument to crazy people who say 'let's
go and bomb Iran'," he told BBC radio.
"We have a diplomatic choice, but it's only going to succeed if
we are absolutely clear with the Iranians, not muddying the message
in any way," said Rice.
Also in Madrid, nuclear talks between negotiators for Iran and
the European Union on Thursday ended without an announcement of any
breakthrough.
Two rounds of sanctions have been ordered by the U.N. Security
Council over Iran's nuclear program and a third round has been
proposed by Washington. Iran has pledged to cooperate with the
International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA).
The United States has accused Iran of trying to develop nuclear
weapons under the cover of a civilian nuclear program. However,
Iran has said its nuclear program is for peaceful purposes only.
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(Xinhua News Agency June 2, 2007)
