Rice denies US on warpath with Iran

US, Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice denied Sunday that the United States was bent on war with Iran and renewed an offer of reconciliation talks if the Islamic republic renounces its nuclear drive.

Interviewed on ABC television, Rice was pressed on a Senate resolution passed in September that labeled Iran's Revolutionary Guards a terrorist operation - a step that critics said had brought war nearer.

She said that President George W. Bush was clear "that he's on a diplomatic path where Iran comes into focus."

"Obviously, it can be the case that he will never take his options off the table, but this particular resolution has nothing to do with that from our point of view," Rice said referring to the prospect of military force on Iran.

"This resolution is saying that there need to be strong measures taken against Iran, which we have definitely done," she said after the Bush administration announced new sanctions on Iranian groups, including the Guards.

Rice spoke a day after US President George W. Bush and German Chancellor Angela Merkel discussed diplomatic strategy towards Iran. "The top of my agenda is Iran," Bush said as they met on his Texas ranch. Bush and Vice President Dick Cheney have been using bellicose rhetoric against the Islamic republic, with the president warning of the threat of "World War III" if Iran gains the know-how to make nuclear weapons.

Washington, Monday, AFP