Mullen: Plans for 'potential' Iran action

WASHINGTON, April 25 (UPI) -- The chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff said Friday the United States is planning for "potential military courses of action" against Iran.

Adm. Michael Mullen told reporters at the Pentagon the Iranian government has been exercising an "increasingly lethal and malign influence" in Iraq, The Washington Post reported. He said a conflict with Iran would be "extremely stressing" on U.S. forces, but it would be possible to carry out.

"It would be a mistake to think that we are out of combat capability," said Mullen.

He said he would prefer resolving tensions with Iran diplomatically.

"I have no expectations that we're going to get into a conflict with Iran in the immediate future," he said.

Mullen's comment came as the U.S. Navy said a ship carrying U.S. military cargo to Kuwait fired warning shots Thursday at two patrol boats in the Persian Gulf that appeared to be Iranian.

The Navy said the Westward Venture was about 50 miles off the Iranian coast at the time. Members of the crew said they issued a radio warning and set off a flare before firing shots.

Iran's state-run new agency IRNA said the Islamic Revolution Guards Corps Navy denied the report, CNN reported.