Iran brushes off Cheney threat
2007-02-24 17:10
Tehran - Iran on Saturday played down the possibility of US military action against its nuclear programme after a veiled threat from vice-president Dick Cheney, but said it was prepared for all possible scenarios.
"We do not see that the United States is in a position to impose another crisis in the region on its tax payers," foreign minister Manouchehr Mottaki told reporters. "The current situation has cost them a lot."
"But the Islamic Republic of Iran has prepared for two scenarios. We prefer the second which is based on dialogue and constructive interaction," he added at a news conference with visiting Bahrain foreign minister Sheikh Khaled bin Ahmad al-Khalifa.
Mottaki was responding to Cheney's comments in Australia earlier that Washington favours a diplomatic approach to Tehran's atomic programme, but that "all options are still on the table."
The United States accuses Iran of seeking nuclear weapons, a charge vehemently denied by Tehran was says it solely wants to provide nuclear energy for its population.
Iran still carrying out work at nuclear plant
The UN's atomic energy agency has confirmed that Tehran is still carrying out sensitive uranium enrichment work at a nuclear plant in defiance of the UN security council, opening the way for further sanctions against Iran.
High-ranking diplomats from the UN security council's five permanent members plus Germany will meet in London on Monday to discuss further measures against Tehran.
Mottaki called on the parties meeting in London to "take a brave decision and resume their negotiations with Iran because it is to the benefit of all people."
"As we have said before our activity is transparent and peaceful.
"A brave and logical decision can become a solution for this matter and could also start international co-operation," he added.