NEW DELHI: The Communist Party of India (Marxist) has taken serious objection to the "threatening" statements by the United States Ambassador, David Mulford, on External Affairs Minister Pranab Mukherjee's Iran visit. It sought a strong stand from the Government against the Bush administration's military mobilisation to intimidate Iran.

In an editorial in the latest issue of People's Democracy, the CPI (M) took note of Mr. Mulford's statement that the U.S. was following with "interest'' Mr. Mukherjee's visit and would be looking for any violation of its Iran-Libya Sanctions Act.

The Government was silent on this "open threat'' against India going ahead with the Iran-Pakistan-India pipeline and a long-term agreement to buy liquefied gas from Iran. "The UPA Government should have told the U.S. Ambassador not to issue threats of sanctions and that he has no business to interfere in India's relations with Iran.''

The editorial is devoted exclusively to America's West Asia policy; vis-à-vis Iran. "After the U. N. Security Council adopted the resolution imposing sanctions on Iran in December 2006, Bush and his cohorts are ratcheting up the pressure.... Despite the quagmire in Iraq, Bush and his cohorts are working methodically to open up a new front against Iran.''

The party said India should come out strongly against the military mobilisation to intimidate Iran. It warned that a military attack on Iran by the U.S. or Israel would ignite a wider conflict in West Asia with "incalculable consequences.''

Stating that Iran should comply with all its obligations as a Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty member and engage with the IAEA, it said Russia and China, who were party to the resolution imposing sanctions on Iran, should play an important role in halting "the U.S.' latest adventurism.''

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