Rice warns Iran that U.S. will defend Israel

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By Anne Gearan ASSOCIATED PRESS

TBILISI, Georgia (AP) – Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice warned Iran on Thursday that the United States will not back down in the face of Iranian threats against Israel.

Iranian officials have strongly suggested the country's missile test on Wednesday was itself a warning to Israel not to attack Iran's nuclear facilities. Israel has left that option open.

"We are sending a message to Iran that we will defend American interests and the interests of our allies," Rice said at the close of a three-day Eastern European trip.

Rice noted U.S. efforts to increase its own security presence in the Persian Gulf and the defense capabilities of U.S. allies there.

"We take very very strongly our obligations to help our allies defend themselves and no one should be confused about that," she said.

Rice tied the latest Iranian missile test and rhetoric to U.S. plans for a future missile shield, which would theoretically protect Eastern Europe from missiles launched from Iran.

The system would place radar interceptors in the Czech Republic, a former Soviet satellite, and missiles in Poland. That has drawn protests from Russia, who says that's uncomfortably close.

Such a missile defense system "will make it more difficult for Iran to threaten and ... say terrible things, because their missiles won't work," Rice said.

Rice's trip to Eastern Europe highlighted the troubled U.S. relationship with Russia. Rice's visit began with a celebration of U.S plans to base anti-missile defenses in countries once under the Soviet hand, and a warning from Russia that it may respond with unspecified military action. It ended with a public display of close U.S. ties to Georgian President Mikhail Saakashvili, a Russian nemesis.

Georgia's relations with Russia have deteriorated since Saakashvili came to power in 2004. Saakashvili is pushing for Georgia's integration into the West and its NATO military alliance; Moscow sees Georgia as part of its sphere of influence.