Bush: Missile shield is meant to deter Iran

By Matt Spetalnick

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - President George W. Bush said on Tuesday a planned missile shield in Europe is vital to protect against an "emerging Iranian threat" as he pressed an escalating U.S.-led campaign against Tehran.

Laying out his position in the clearest terms so far, Bush used a policy speech at the National Defense University to hammer home the theme that Iran poses a grave danger because of its simultaneous pursuit of nuclear and missile technologies.

Bush's latest verbal salvo followed his stark warning last week that a nuclear-armed Iran could lead to World War Three, a remark that drew criticism from political opponents at home who accuse him of stoking tensions with Tehran.

"The need for missile defense in Europe is real, and I believe it's urgent," Bush said. "Iran is pursuing the technology that could be used to produce nuclear weapons and ballistic missiles of increasing range that could deliver them."

Bush sought to reassure Russia that it need not fear U.S. plans to locate components of the anti-missile defense system in Poland and the Czech Republic, and said Iran would be the key target of such a shield.

Trying to shore up international opposition to Iran, the Bush administration has sharpened its rhetoric in the standoff over Tehran's nuclear program.

Western countries accuse Iran of seeking to build atomic bombs under cover of a civilian program. Tehran denies this. Iran also maintains that its missile program is strictly for self-defense.

Bush has said he wants a diplomatic solution, although he has not ruled out military action if all else fails.