BEIJING, Feb. 7 -- US Vice President Dick Cheney has reiterated that Washington will use diplomacy in dealing with Iran.

    His comments come amid growing speculation of a possible American attack to derail the country's nuclear capability.

    Meantime, officials in Tehran warn both the US and Israel against any such moves.

    Cheney told Fox News on Sunday he supported the current diplomatic effort by European allies. But if it failed, the next step probably would be to go back to the board of governors of the International Atomic Energy Agency, and ultimately to the UN Security Council for international sanctions.

    Meanwhile, Iran warned it would both retaliate and accelerate its drive to master nuclear technology if the US or Israel attacked its atomic facilities.

    Hassan Rohani, Iranian chief Nuclear Negotiator, said, "I do not think America itself will take such a risk. Because America knows very well that we will strongly answer such an attack. The Americans are very well aware of our capabilities. They know our capabilities for retaliating against such attacks."

    Rohani said the West could offer nothing to persuade Iran to scrap its nuclear program. And he insisted Iran was sticking to the deal it made with the EU in Paris last November.

    Iran says its nuclear program is for civilian purposes only. The Bush administration has accused Iran of developing nuclear weapons and hinted that it may launch a military strike. But Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice said on Friday a US attack was "not on the agenda".

    (Source: CCTV.com)