U.S. military chief urges for dialogue with Iran on nuclear program

WASHINGTON, July 7 (Xinhua) -- The U.S. military chief Tuesday urged dialogue with Irani government to ease the tension over its nuclear program.

Admiral Mike Mullen, chairman of the U.S. Joint Chiefs of Staff, said during a speech at the Center for Strategic and International Studies that diplomatic efforts should be made immediately to reach a solution on Iran's nuclear program before the country develops a nuclear weapon.

The time is running out for dialogue with Iran to stop its nuclear programs or avoid a possible military strike against the country, he warned.

"That window is a very narrow window," Mullen said. "There's a great deal that certainly depends on the dialogue and the engagement."

"I'm hopeful that dialogue is productive. I worry about it a great deal if it's not."

The top military official also reiterated that all options must be put on table as the U.S. pursues dialogues with Iran, including the military approach.

However, he said that a military strike would be "very destabilizing" for the Middle East region and pose unpredictable consequences for U.S. allies and interests, which as much as the development of an Iranian nuclear bomb itself.

"It (a military strike) is a really important place to not go, if we can not go there in any way, shape or form," he said.

President Barack Obama has been reaching out to the Iranian government for negotiation over its nuclear program since he took over the White House. However, it has yet received positive response from Iran, which insists the nuclear program is for civilian electricity.