US says all options on table for Iran, N Korea

US Defense Secretary Robert Gates says Washington is keeping “all options” on the table for dealing with Iran and North Korea.

“If there is a message for Iran and North Korea here, it is that if you’re going to play by the rules, if you’re going to join the international community, then we will undertake certain obligations to you,” AFP quoted Gates as saying on Tuesday.

“But if you’re not going to play by the rules, if you’re going to be a proliferator, then all options are on the table in terms of how we deal with you,” he told reporters.

The US accuses Iran of seeking nuclear weapons, a charge that has been repeatedly dismissed by Tehran.

Iran, which is a signatory to the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty, says it needs a civilian nuclear program to meet its growing demand for energy.