MOSCOW, May 30 (UPI) -- President George W. Bush, speaking to a Russian television reporter in an interview aired Friday, dismissed media reports that the United States may launch an attack on Iran as "pure speculation."
In an interview with Russia's state-owned Rossiya television network aired ahead of his weekend visit to Russia, Bush shot down intense media speculation that Washington may be preparing for regime change by force in either Iran or Syria.
"We've had all kinds of reports that we're going to use force in Syria and now some are, I guess, saying force in Iran, force here and force there," Bush said.
"This is pure speculation. We used force in Iraq after a long, long period of diplomacy," the U.S. president said, adding the reports were nothing more than "idle speculation."
The Bush administration has expressed serious concerns over Russia's continuing nuclear cooperation with Iran, and the subject will feature prominently during Bush's summit with President Vladimir Putin in St. Petersburg this weekend. Russia has insisted it will continue working on Iran's nuclear power plant in Bushehr despite U.S. fears that a transfer of sensitive technology that could aid Iran's military programs may take place.
On Thursday, Russian media reported that Azerbaijan had agreed to allow the United States use of its air bases to launch an attack on neighboring Iran, prompting speculation amid growing anti-Iranian rhetoric in Washington. Both the United States and Azerbaijan dismissed the report.
