NATO chief dismisses military attack on Iran

NATO Secretary General Anders Fogh Rasmussen said that the military alliance is not involved in the Iran issue. Rasmussen also underlined that the NATO is interested in a political solution to the Iran-West nuclear standoff. Rasmussen told the Italian newspaper La Repubblica that "NATO has no intention to interfere with Iran. I think the best way forward is to find political and diplomatic solutions. And I continue to strongly support international efforts are made to ensure that all possible pressure against Iran." When pressed about the possibility of Israeli military intervention in Iran, he remarked that such an event is only a hypothesis, but refused to be drawn further, saying "I prefer not to answer such questions." British foreign secretary William Hague also said on Tuesday that the West was not intending to take military action. The Guardian reported Hague as saying, "We are not planning to take military action in the (Persian) Gulf. We call on Iran to return to the negotiations which are at all times available to it." His remarks followed a British frigate joining American ships demonstrating a show of strength in the Strait of Hormuz. Iran has always underlined preparedness to attend talks with the world powers, but meantime reiterated that it would never accept any preconditions to such talks.