TEHRAN (Fars News Agency)- The United States is not in a position to invade Iran as it is bogged down in Iraq, the Iranian foreign minister said on Saturday, adding that Tehran believes Afghanistan would never allow its soil to be used by the United States to launch an attack on the Islamic Republic.
Washington was anyway too weakened by its efforts in Iraq to confront Iran, Foreign Minister Manouchehr Mottaki told reporters on the sidelines of a regional economic meeting in the Afghan city of Herat near the Iranian border.
The United States has around 27,000 troops and several bases in Afghanistan to fight the Taliban and Al-Qaeda.
Asked at a media briefing if Tehran was concerned Washington could use its resources in Afghanistan to attack, Mottaki said Kabul would not let this happen.
"The people of Afghanistan will never allow America to use Afghanistan against any other country. This is our belief, this is our trust," Mottaki said.
Mottaki added that the United States had exhausted itself with the war in Iraq and "is not in a position to create another conflict in our region."
"Americans have never been in such a grave situation and this is because of their own deeds," he said.
"Since the actual probability of the subject is nil, therefore one cannot talk about it," Mottaki said in response to the question if Iran would hit US bases in Afghanistan should Washington launch an attack against it.
Washington thought it could dictate to the world as the only superpower after the collapse of the Soviet Union, Mottaki said.
"America, today, in the international system is facing a serious challenge ... Americans are in a very, very difficult situation.
"Americans, not based on our statements ... but based on statements by American politicians have been defeated in Iraq," the foreign minister said.
Iran has vowed never to initiate an attack on the United States but has warned of a crushing response to any act of aggression against it.
"If they decide to do such madness, we have announced to Americans what is going to happen and they know it," Mottaki said, without elaborating.
Meantime, Mottaki said Tehran's findings from three rounds of talks with US officials on the situation in Iraq was that Washington was facing "very serious" difficulties there.
Washington has no exit strategy from Iraq and is bogged down in the conflict there. He said the US had not managed to deliver on its promises to the Afghan people either.
"Therefore, we do not see such a probability that the Americans would want to attack ... another country in the region. They are not in such a position."
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