Washington (ANTARA News/Reuters) - The White House said on Thursday that this week`s International Atomic Energy Agency report on Iran`s nuclear program was "very alarming" and said it would continue to pressure Tehran to "change its behavior."

"They need to get right with the world and live up to their obligations with regards to their nuclear program. We will

continue to pursue that going forward in the wake of this very alarming report," White House spokesman Jay Carney said.

Also on Thursday, US Defense Secretary Leon Panetta said military action against Iran could have unintended consequences, sounding the administration`s strongest reservations about a strike since the release of the report.

Panetta told Pentagon reporters that he agrees with earlier assessments that a strike would only set Iran`s nuclear program back by three years at most.

Panetta, a former CIA director, said the IAEA report is in line with intelligence assessments that suggest Tehran is trying to develop its nuclear capabilities, but that there continues to be divisions within Iran over whether to build a bomb. (*)

Editor: Kunto Wibisono
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