Obama aide: All options on table with Iran

The Obama White House is staying low-key as an international agency prepares to issue a report on Iran’s nuclear program — and Iran’s claim that the U.S. and Israel are planning a military strike.

“We, of course, never remove from the table any option in a situation like this, but we are very focused on diplomacy,” said White House spokesman Jay Carney.

Carney also declined to comment in detail of the forthcoming report by the International Atomic Energy Agency; AFP is reporting that diplomats say the report “will focus on the Islamic republic’s alleged efforts to put fissile material in a warhead and developing missiles.”

Said Carney: “I don’t want to get ahead of a report that hasn’t come out yet. What I can tell you is that we certainly expect it to echo and reinforce what we’ve been saying about Iran’s behavior and its failure to live up to its international obligations. And it will, I’m sure, echo our concern about Iran’s nuclear program.”

Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad said his country’s nuclear program is for peaceful purposes only, and warned the West against any kind of attack.

“Iran’s capabilities are increasing and it is progressing, and for that reason it has been able to compete in the world,” Ahmadinejad said in remarks published Monday in Egypt’s Al-Akhbar newspaper, according to AFP. “Now Israel and the West, particularly America, fear Iran’s capabilities and role.”

“Therefore they are trying to gather international support for a military operation to stop (Iran’s) role,” Ahmadinejad added. “The arrogant should know that Iran will not allow them to take any action against it.”

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