Iran official warns U.S. against attack

TEHRAN, Aug. 3 (UPI) -- If the United States attacks Iran over its nuclear activities, it would suffer dire consequences, Iranian Foreign Minister Manouchehr Mottaki said Tuesday.

On Sunday, Adm. Mike Mullen, chairman of the U.S. Joint Chiefs of Staff, said the U.S. military is prepared to risk a military confrontation to stop Iran from building nuclear weapons, but expressed concern about possible repercussions of such action, Iran's government-backed Press TV reported.

In an interview with Iran's government-backed, Arabic-language al-Alam television network, Mottaki said the consequences would be "miserable."

"We can currently see their fate," he said. "We think there are still wise individuals in the U.S. who think and examine issues."

Mottaki suggested the United States would lose prestige internationally if it pursued an attack.

Leaders of Western countries say they fear Iran's nuclear program is to develop nuclear weapons, a charge Tehran has denied, saying the country is pursuing nuclear technology for peaceful purposes.