Italy urges diplomacy over Iran nuclear issue

TELESE TERME, Italy, Sept 1 (Reuters) A diplomatic push is essential to prevent the world from facing a choice between a nuclear-armed Iran and war, Italy's foreign minister said on Saturday, echoing comments made by the French president.

Italy is one of Iran's largest trading partners, but its centre-left government has consistently spoken out against Iran's nuclear ambitions and voted in favour of United Nations sanctions.

Italian Foreign Minister Massimo D'Alema said he shared the reasoning behind French President Nicolas Sarkozy's Monday comment that diplomacy was the only alternative to ''an Iranian bomb or the bombing of Iran''.

''I am convinced that a strong international effort is needed because we don't want to find ourselves in a few years in a situation in which we either accept Iran with atomic bombs or accept a prospect no less catastrophic than war,'' D'Alema said.

''And it needs to be said that the strategy followed until now has been shown to be largely ineffective.'' Major Western powers fear Iran's nuclear programme is aimed at making atom bombs, while Tehran says it only wants to generate electricity. Iran's president quickly dismissed Sarkozy's comments as a sign of inexperience.

REUTERS SLD VC1755