LONDON: American military experts are reported to be drawing up plans for an attack on Iran if it does not agree to a compromise on its controversial nuclear programme, according to a leading British newspaper.

In a front-page report under the headline, "U.S. prepares military blitz against Iran's nuclear sites,'' The Sunday Telegraph claimed that "devastating bombing raids'' against Iran's nuclear sites were planned as a "last resort'' to prevent Teheran from developing a nuclear bomb.

The raids would be "backed'' by submarine-launched ballistic missile attacks, it said. The report quoted a senior Pentagon adviser as saying the planning went beyond just contingency assessment.

"This is more than just the standard military contingency assessment... This has taken on much greater urgency in recent months,'' he said.

The newspaper said the U.S. Central Command and Strategic Command planners were "identifying'' targets in Iran, assessing weapon loads and working on the logistics of launching an attack. The experts, he said, were reporting to the office of Defence Secretary Donald Rumsfeld.

It said further: "The most likely strategy would involve aerial bombardment by long-distance B2 bombers, each armed with up to 40,000 lb of precision weapons, including the latest bunker-busting devices. They would fly from bases in Missouri with mid-air refuelling.'' Though the Bush administration claims that it wants to resolve the issue through diplomatic means, it has never ruled out a military option. Hawks in the administration and hardline Republicans are reported to be pressing for a military action.

"There is only one thing worse than the United States exercising a military option and that is a nuclear-armed Iran,'' said Senator John McCain, a likely Republican contender for the presidency in 2008.

Britain is opposed to a military intervention fearing that it would fuel the already volatile situation in West Asia following the invasion of Iraq.

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