The United States is ready to help its allies in the Gulf establish a "defense umbrella" if Iran doesn't back down over its nuclear program, U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton said Wednesday.
Clinton told Thai television that the U.S. would "still hold the door open" to engagement with Iran, but would also take "crippling action" - an apparent reference to sanctions - if Tehran pursues its atomic drive.
She said "the nuclear clock is ticking" and Washington was prepared to "upgrade the defense of our partners in the region," adding that Iran's neighbors are the most concerned about events.
"If the U.S. extends a defense umbrella over the region, if we do even more to support the military capacity of those in the Gulf, it is unlikely Iran will be any stronger or safer," Clinton said.
"They won't be able to intimidate and dominate as they apparently believe they can once they have a nuclear weapon."
Clinton made the comments before heading to Asia's largest security forum on the Thai resort island of Phuket, where talks are expected to focus on possible nuclear links between North Korea and Myanmar.
U.S. lawmakers Monday stepped up pressure on President Barack Obama to ready tough new economic sanctions on Iran, in the event Tehran fails to freeze its suspected nuclear program by late 2009.
Major world powers agreed at a recent summit in Italy they would assess Iran's nuclear cooperation at the G20, to be held in Pittsburgh, Pa. in late September, ahead of the U.N. General Assembly.
Iran, under U.N. sanctions for refusing to freeze sensitive nuclear work, has rejected the West's charges that it seeks nuclear weapons under cover of a civilian atomic energy program.
Obama has said he wants a diplomatic solution to the standoff, but has repeatedly warned he hasn't ruled out the use of force.