Iran poses a more dangerous challenge to the United States than any other country, US Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice claimed today.
US Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice
Ms Rice, who is pushing for United Nations Security Council action against Iran, also repeated US concerns that Tehran supports anti-Israel militants and is influencing events in neighboring Iraq.
"We may face no greater challenge from a single country than from Iran, whose policies are directed at developing a Middle East that would be 180 degrees different than the Middle East we would like to see developed," she said.
Ms Rice made her comments during an address to a Congressional hearing in Washington.
Relations between the two countries deteriorated even further yesterday following a call made by the US ambassador to the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), Greg Schulte, for "special inspections" of nuclear facilities by the UN nuclear teams in Iran - in effect giving them carte blanchein their detective work.
Iran reacted furiously and made implicit threats to use oil as a weapon against the United States. Iran claims it has the right to develop its own nuclear industry for civilian-use.
"Let the ball roll," said Javad Vaeidi, deputy head of Iran's national security council, using the words used against Iran at the weekend by US hawk and ambassador to the UN, John Bolton.
"The United States may have the power to cause harm and pain, but it is also susceptible to harm and pain," Mr Vaeidi said.