U.S. military chief warns of attack option against Iran

War option: America's top military chief Admiral Mike Mullen said a military strike is an option against Iran

America's top military chief has warned that the country has a plan to attack Iran.

Admiral Mike Mullen, chairman of the U.S. Joint Chiefs of Staff, said a military strike is an option if Tehran presses ahead with plans to build a nuclear weapon.

While admitting that going to war could destabilise the Middle East, Admiral Mullen said the risk of allowing the Iranian regime's atomic ambitions to continue unchecked was unacceptable.






Admiral Mullen told a television news programme: 'Military actions have been on the table and remain on the table.

'I hope we don't get to that but it's an important option.'

He added he was 'extremely concerned' about the possible repercussions of such a strike in 'an incredibly unstable part of the world', but didn't elaborate on any details of the war plan.

The Pentagon chief said he hoped that diplomatic efforts and sanctions against Iran would force Tehran to shelve its nuclear enrichment programme.

Iran insists its attempts to gain nuclear energy are purely to create electricity, but the U.S. and Western powers claim that is just a cover for its attempts to build a nuclear warhead.

Israel has consistently warned that the option of attacking Iran must remain on the table.

The Iranian envoy to the United Nations, Mohammad Khazai Kashmar, warned yesterday that 'Tel Aviv and the entire war front' would be 'set on fire' if the Israelis dared to attack the country.