Pentagon Warns against Iran Attack, Calls China to Pressure Iran

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US Defense Secretary Leon Panetta has warned against “unintended consequences” of any military attack against Iran over the country's nuclear program as Russia and China have voiced their opposition to fresh sanctions. After a meeting in Moscow, Russian and Chinese diplomats expressed “the mutual conviction that the application of new, additional sanctions against Iran will not lead to the desired result,” Russian Foreign Ministry said in a statement, according to Reuters. Earlier on Thursday, Chinese Foreign Ministry rejected the idea of imposing additional sanctions against Iran, calling for further dialogue to resolve concerns about the Islamic Republic's nuclear issue. In the meantime, the Pentagon chief said Thursday that the strike could have a "serious impact on the region and it could have a serious impact on US forces in the region," AFP reported. Panetta also said Washington was holding talks with allies to impose "additional sanctions" on Iran after the release of the new report. US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton urged China to use its influence to raise pressure on Iran in a meeting with Chinese Foreign Minister Yang Jiechi in Hawaii ahead of a weekend Asia-Pacific summit. Her remarks came after recent Israeli aggressive rhetoric against Iran and its test-launch of an Intercontinental Ballistic Missile. On Sunday, Israeli President Shimon Peres threatened that an attack on the Islamic Republic is becoming “more and more likely.” Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Defense Minister Ehud Barak have reportedly been lobbying to persuade the Israeli cabinet to carry out a military strike on Iran. Meanwhile, Iranian leadership has promised a crushing response to any military strike against the country.

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