Top US officer admits Iran invasion plan

Top US military officer Mike Mullen has admitted plans are in place for military action in Iran if diplomacy fails to end the nuclear row.

In an interview with NBC's "Meet the Press" host David Gregory, Mullen said The United States will not rule out military action in Iran if diplomacy fails to end the Islamic republic's nuclear row with the West.

"The military options have been on the table, remain on the table, and certainly in that regard it's one of the options that the president has. Again, I hope we don't get to that, but it's an important option and it's one that's well understood," Mullen said.

A UN Security Council resolution on June 9 imposed restrictions on Iranian shipping and other sectors to try to persuade Tehran to curb its nuclear enrichment activities.

Under the latest sanctions, countries would have the authority to inspect cargo ships heading to or from Iran.

Iran, the world's fifth largest oil producer, has been hit by four rounds of UN sanctions over its defiance to suspend its uranium enrichment activities. Iran says its nuclear program is a peaceful effort to produce electricity and that the sanctions against it are ineffective to bring any change in its nuclear program.