The foreign minister, Villy Søvndal, warned western powers against military attack on Iran in connection with its nuclear program Thursday.

“I warn as strongly as I can against bombing Iran,” Søvndal told Berlingkse newspaper.

He added a military operation would be extremely dangerous and that Denmark would not participate in it under any circumstances.

His comments followed a report released on Tuesday by the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) that said Tehran had conducted a program “relevant to the development of a nuclear explosive device” based on what it said “credible” intelligence.

The report drew criticism from Iran and Russia, while the United States and Israel voiced grave concerns and suggested more sanctions, or even military action, against Tehran.

But Søvndal warned that an attack on Israel would “let loose a number of dangerous forces in the Middle East and other parts of the world”.

Moreover, he believed that an attack will at best only delay Iran’s nuclear development, as Iran’s atomic plants are well-protected, he told Berlingske.

Søvndal stressed that any such attack would likely occur without a mandate from the UN Security Council, and thus, would not be supported by the international community.

Meanwhile, in a written statement to Berlingske, Iran’s Embassy in Denmark said: “Any rash acts against the Islamic Republic of Iran will be met with an effective and crushing response.”

The statement echoed the remarks of Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Seyyed Ali Khamenei who said Thursday that Iran will respond “powerfully” to any attack on the country by the United States and Israel, according to the semi-official Fars news agency.

Iran’s government has consistently maintained that its nuclear program is for peaceful purposes.

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