Iran tells US not to 'play with fire'

Reuters, Tehran
Iran warned the United States yesterday not to attack its nuclear facilities and said talks with European nations might produce a deal to defuse the dispute.

"They know our capabilities. We have clearly told the Europeans to tell Americans not to play with fire," Foreign Ministry spokesman Hamid Reza Asefi told a weekly news briefing.

He said Iran was determined to continue its nuclear energy program despite pressure from Washington, which accuses Tehran of pursuing atomic weapons and has refused to rule out any option, including force, to stop it acquiring them.