WASHINGTON, March 13: The White House and the Pentagon have both assured Americans that they do not plan to attack Iran to prevent it from making nuclear weapons.
The two highest offices responsible for all US military decisions, however, insisted that the United States will continue its efforts to bring more economic sanctions against Tehran.
“The fact is that administration policy is to try and deal with the Iranian challenge through diplomatic and economic pressures and sanctions,” US Secretary of Defence Robert M. Gates told a briefing in Washington.
He was responding to the speculation that Admiral William J. Fallon, who commanded US forces in the Middle East and South Asia, was forced earlier this week to submit his resignation because he opposed the Bush administration’s plan to invade Iran.
Mr Gates acknowledged that he has accepted Admiral Fallon’s decision to retire “with reluctance and regret,” but assured the American public that the Pentagon had no plan to launch military strikes on Iran.
“If you look at the statements that I’ve made, that the Secretary of State has made, the president has made, we’ve all talked about all options being on the table. But we’ve also focused on the importance of pursuing economic and diplomatic pressures against Iran.”
At the White House, spokesman Gordon Johndroe told reporters that while President George W. Bush has kept all his options open for preventing Iran from acquiring nuclear technology, it does not necessarily mean that the US is contemplating military actions.
“Our policy towards Iran has been set out very clearly and very publicly, most recently in successfully obtaining a third Security Council resolution,” he said.
Mr Johndroe said President Bush has “made it clear, as have other senior officials, and theirs is no change in that” Iran needs to abandon its nuclear programme.
The speculation about a possible US military strike against Iran began earlier this week when a US magazine – Esquire – said that Admiral Fallon was a powerful check against White House hawks pushing for a military confrontation with Iran.
The article claimed that Mr Fallon’s opposition was the chief reason President Bush had not yet invaded Iran.
The article also predicted that Admiral Fallon may soon be forced to resign and
if he does so, it would be a victory for the administration hawks who want a war with Iran.
Mr Fallon submitted his resignation soon after the article was published, causing speculations that now an attack on Iran was also imminent.
But officials at the White House and Pentagon said they believe the United States still has other options to persuade Iran to give up its nuclear programme and will not consider a military strike before all other options have been exhausted.
