Washington denies seeking military confrontation with Iran

The Obama administration continues its efforts to resolve the Iranian nuclear problem through diplomacy and does not seek a military confrontation with Tehran, the U.S. State Department said. The Western media have recently circulated reports of U.S. and British military contingency planning and Israel gearing up to launch a strike against Iran. “We have said many times in the last weeks and months that we do not seek a military confrontation with Iran. That remains our position,” spokesperson Victoria Nuland told reporters on Thursday. “We are pursuing our goals with Iran by growing the community of countries willing to speak out and pressure them in the IAEA and beyond to meet their obligations,” Nuland said. The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) is preparing to reveal new intelligence on Iran's alleged nuclear weapons program next week. “We are expecting IAEA reporting…that will take us forward in this conversation with Iran,” Nuland said. The United States and its Western allies accuse Iran of developing nuclear weapons under the cover of peaceful nuclear energy program. Tehran denies all the charges, saying that its nuclear program is focused on the country's electricity needs.