Iran an obstacle to peace, says Cheney

US Vice President Dick Cheney yesterday described Iran as an obstacle to peace in the Middle East and said the world could not…

US Vice President Dick Cheney yesterday described Iran as an obstacle to peace in the Middle East and said the world could not allow it to develop a nuclear weapon.

"The Iranian regime needs to know that if it stays on its present course, the international community is prepared to impose serious consequences,"

Mr Cheney told a forum organised by the Washington Institute for Near East Policy.

"The United States joins other nations in sending a clear message: We will not allow Iran to have a nuclear weapon."

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"Our country and the entire international community cannot stand by as a terror-supporting state fulfils its most aggressive ambitions," he said.

Mr Cheney discussed Iran in a speech in which he emphasised the importance of US engagement in the Middle East and said the United States seeks stability there but not the kind that "simply keeps a lid on" problems.

Mr Cheney's comments underscored a increase in US rhetoric toward Tehran and came just days after President George W. Bush warned that a nuclear-armed Iran could lead to world war three.