The United States is incapable of attacking Iran, its foreign minister said on Tuesday, as the Non-Aligned Movement appeared set to support Tehran's right to develop nuclear technology for peaceful purposes.
On the sidelines of a Non-Aligned Movement ministerial meeting, Foreign Minister Manouchehr Mottaki also accused Washington of following "a double standard policy" over the issue, and engaging in "a unilateral approach that is not acceptable".
He said Iran was not afraid of a US military attack on his country.
"They can't. The United States is not in a position to impose another crisis on taxpayers," he said.
"They are in a lot of difficulties in Iraq and Afghanistan. They are not in a position to create a new crisis in the region," he said.
Mottaki made the comments as NAM, a 114-nation group of mostly developing countries, was set to issue a statement on the Iranian nuclear crisis, reaffirming the "basic and inalienable right" of all countries to develop, research, produce and use atomic energy for peaceful purposes, as long as they conform to their legal obligations.