Iran: US to use force if diplomacy fails
Dick CheneyDSydney: The United States could resort to force if diplomacy
failed and Iran looked set to acquire nuclear weapons, US Vice-
President Dick Cheney said here on Saturday.
All options are still on the table,Cheney said during a joint press conference with Australian Prime Minister John Howard.
Cheney said every effort would be made to persuade Iran to give up its nuclear ambitions through diplomatic means.
But I have made the point, and the president (Bush) has made the point, that all options are still on the table, Cheney said after an hour-long meeting with Howard in his Sydney office.
Cheney, who arrived Thursday after visiting Japan and will leave on Sunday, said the US was dismayed by Iran's ambitions.
We see a nation that has been fairly aggressive in the Middle East, a sponsor of Hezbollah, Cheney said. They have made some fairly inflammatory statements. They appear to be pursuing the development of nuclear weapons. It would be a serious mistake if a nation such as Iran became a nuclear power.
Howard, in parallel remarks, said Iran stood to gain from any precipitate withdrawal from Iraq.
I don't think there would be a country whose influence and potential clout would be more enhanced in that part of the world than Iran's would be if the coalition were defeated in Iraq, Howard told reporters.
Australia, which with Britain and Poland committed troops to the US-led invasion of Iraq, has 1,400 soldiers deployed there. Last week Howard announced that a further detachment of up to 70
military trainers would be sent.
Howard, described by President George W. Bush as a "man of steel", sets great store in Australia's military alliance with the US. This week he also signalled that Canberra would be increasing its strength in Afghanistan, perhaps to a force of 1,000 troops from 550 at present.