British Foreign Secretary Mr Jack Straw today denied reports the US was preparing to resolve the standoff over Iran's nuclear programme with military force.
"The prospect of it happening is inconceivable," Mr Straw told BBC radio. "I don't see any circumstances in which military action would be justified against Iran, full stop."
Mr Straw's predecessor, Mr Robin Cook, said yesterday that those in the Bush administration who pressed for invasion of Iraq were now lobbying for action against Iran.
Mr Robin Cook, former British foreign secretary
Mr Straw's comments to the BBC come a day before diplomats from Britain, France and Germany meet their Iranian counterparts in Paris to discuss a European offer to help Tehran develop peaceful nuclear technology and other incentives if Tehran terminates its controversial uranium enrichment programme.
The EU's "Big Three" has been struggling for over a year to persuade Iran to give up its enrichment programme, which Washington believes will be used to produce fissile uranium for atomic weapons.
Iran denies pursuing atomic weapons and says its nuclear ambitions are limited to the peaceful generation of electricity.
Mr Straw did not comment on Britain's expectations for tomorrow's discussions in Paris, though Vienna-based diplomats who follow the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), the UN's nuclear watchdog, said there was little hope of a breakthrough.
The Iranians are hoping to reduce international concern about their nuclear programme by offering at tomorrow's talks to suspend their uranium enrichment programme under IAEA supervision for a limited time period, Western diplomats said.
This is unacceptable to the EU negotiators.
If Iran does not freeze the programme ahead of a November 25th meeting of the IAEA board of governors, the EU is expected to back a US demand that the agency refer Tehran to the UN Security Council for possible economic sanctions.
Although the newly re-elected administration of Mr George W. Bush believes the EU intitiative is doomed, Mr Straw said the EU talks with Iran were being conducted in "complete consensus" with Washington.