Iran envoy warns Bush against attacks

US President George Bush will cause huge damage to America’s relations with the rest of the world if he launches an attack on Iran’s nuclear facilities, the country’s ambassador to the UK warned today.

Dr Mohammed Hossein Adeli insisted that Iran’s nuclear programme is designed to generate energy for civil purposes, rather than produce fuel for nuclear weapons.

On the day of President Bush’s inauguration in Washington, the ambassador expressed concern about suggestions that the Bush administration may be contemplating military strikes against Iran’s nuclear plants.

He told BBC Radio 4’s Today programme that President Bush should think hard about the impact of the Iraqi conflict before embarking on any more foreign adventures.

He said: “The United States should take lessons from its past mistakes, adopt a more responsible attitude and have a more multi-lateral approach towards world issues.

“Waging war against Muslims, disrespecting and ignoring its allies, including the Europeans, only created tension, instability, a less secure world, and created an ocean of mistrust between the US and the rest of the world.

“If they would like to continue launching war against the Muslim world, I don’t think this would do any good to the American image and the American cause.”