Powell says US should talk to Iran, not attack

LONDON, Dec 1: Former US Secretary of State Colin Powell does not believe the United States will attack Iran and says Washington should speak to Tehran and Syria.

Powell, who said Iraq was in a civil war on Wednesday, was speaking to the Leaders in London Business Forum yesterday.

Answering a question from Reuters, Powell said: ''Iran is a regional power and it will have to be dealt with. We should find ways to speak to them and also speak to the Syrians.'' Both Iran and Syria have been accused by the US government of sponsoring terrorism and fomenting violence in Iraq. Iran has also been accused of trying to build nuclear weapons. Both countries deny the accusations.

''I hope that over time Iran will play a responsible part in the region,'' he said. ''As you know Iran is doing very well now, they have no particular pressure on their nuclear programme.'' He said he could not speak for the administration of U.S.

President George W. Bush but he could not see any circumstances which would cause a military conflict between the United States and Iran.

''We all agree that it's not a good thing for Iran to develop their nuclear programme if it could develop nuclear weapons, but the United States is not going to attack Iran,'' he said.

Powell said the Bush administration would have to work with the United Nations and Russia to keep Iran from evolving its nuclear programme beyond power generation.

The Iraq Study Group, a commission of five US Democrats and Republicans, is set to release a report on December 6 which is expected to call for regional talks as the way forward in Iraq, including involvement by Syria and Iran.

REUTERS