gulfnews : US plays up risks of attacking Iran

The United States has pointedly ramped up its public warnings over the last few weeks about the risks of military action against Iran.

Rhetoric has periodically escalated over the years, often bolstering pushes — like the present one — for tougher sanctions against Iran.

US Defence Secretary Leon Panetta said it risked "an escalation" that could "consume the Middle East in confrontation and conflict that we would regret."

* username: rupertbu