BEIJING, Aug. 16 -- The US State Department has denied suggestions of a rift between Washington and German Chancellor Gerhard Schroeder over the threat of using force to halt Iran's nuclear program.

    Schroeder over the weekend ruled out a military operation to curb Tehran's suspected nuclear arms ambitions after US President George W. Bush said all options were on the table.

    But State Department spokesman Sean McCormack insisted the Americans and Germans agreed on the need for diplomacy to persuade the Iranians to shut down sensitive nuclear fuel-cycle activities.

    He said Bush's comments aired Friday on Israeli television were "simply a restatement of US policy. But in the same interview he made it very clear that we are working on the diplomatic front."

    The United States has supported efforts by Germany, France and Britain to wean Iran from its nuclear ambitions with a package of economic and security incentives.

    But the Americans have warned they will seek to refer Iran to the UN Security Council if Tehran does not heed a warning by the UN nuclear watchdog to halt sensitive activities resumed after a nine-month suspension.

(Source: CRIENGLISH.com)