Iran to reply with "all means" if attacked: minister

TEHRAN (Reuters) - Iranian Oil Minister Kazem Vaziri-Hameneh said on Wednesday Iran, the world's fourth largest oil exporter, did not want to disrupt energy flows but would use "all means to defend itself" if it was attacked.

Iran is embroiled in a row with the West over its nuclear ambitions. The United States, which says Iran is trying to build an atomic bomb, has said it wants a diplomatic resolution to the standoff but has not ruled out military action if that fails.

Asked if Iran would use oil as a weapon if Iran came under further pressure from the U.N. Security Council, the minister said: "I have repeatedly said that generally Iran's position is interaction with the world and supplying energy to the world."

"We never want to stop the flow of energy to the world, but naturally each country when it comes under attack or threat will use all means to defend itself," he told a news conference.

The Security Council has passed two sanctions resolutions on Iran since December over its nuclear ambitions, which Tehran insists are purely peaceful.

Washington has warned of further steps because of Iran's refusal to halt and its expansion of uranium enrichment work, a process that can make fuel for nuclear power plants or, if enriched to much higher levels, material for warheads.