Bush to raise Iran nuclear issue with Hu

WASHINGTON (Reuters) – President George W. Bush said on
Tuesday he will raise the issue of Iran’s nuclear ambitions
with China’s President Hu Jintao later this week and refused to
rule out nuclear retaliation if diplomatic efforts fail.

The United States and European allies suspect Iran is
seeking to develop a nuclear weapon and are seeking sanctions
from the U.N. Security Council but China and Russia have been
reluctant to go along. Tehran insists its nuclear program is
for peaceful electricity generation.

Asked if his options included planning for a nuclear
strike, as some news reports have said, Bush replied: “All
options are on the table. We want to solve this issue
diplomatically and we’re working hard to do so.”

Bush said the best way to deal with Iran was through a
united effort with countries “who recognize the danger of Iran
having a nuclear weapon.”

“I intend of course to bring the subject up of Iranian
ambitions to have a nuclear weapon with Hu Jintao this
Thursday,” he told reporters in the Rose Garden. “We’ll
continue to work diplomatically to get this problem solved.