Republican presidential hopeful John McCain says the US and its European allies will adopt unilateral sanctions against Iran.

He stated that if the UN is not prepared to impose stronger political and economic sanctions, the United States and its European partners will take such measures.

He also said that a military solution should remain on the table as a last resort and that Iran is playing 'a game it cannot win'.

“I intend to make it unmistakably clear to Iran that we will not permit a government that espouses the destruction of ... Israel . . .and pledges undying enmity to the United States to possess weapons to advance their malevolent ambitions,” Suddeutschen Zeitung quoted the senator as saying.

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The recently published US National Intelligence Estimate (NIE) has confirmed that Iran is not developing nuclear arms.

Iran says under the Non-proliferation Treaty (NPT) it is entitled to enrich uranium for peaceful purposes and that its nuclear activities are aimed at civilian purposes.