19 December 2004	Sunday	06 Ziqa'ad 1425

HAMBURG, Dec 18: Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak has warned the United States against attacking Iran, saying such a move would be a 'catastrophic mistake', after US President George W. Bush cautioned Tehran and Syria against 'meddling' in Iraq.

"If the United States were to attack Iran, it would be a catastrophic mistake," Mubarak said in an interview due to be published on Monday in the German weekly Der Spiegel.

"Terror and violence would be imposed throughout the Middle East and shortly afterwards in the whole world," he said.

On Wednesday, Bush had warned Iran and Syria against 'meddling' in Iraq, responding to accusations by that country's defence minister they were helping insurgents and terrorists spread deadly chaos.

Mubarak also defended Syria in the Der Spiegel interview, saying he believed it "was trying to change its policies, but still needs a bit of time to do so".-AFP