WASHINGTON, April 12: US Defence Secretary Donald Rumsfeld on Monday dismissed as ‘fantasyland’ reports that the Pentagon is planning military strikes against Iran.

Mr Rumsfeld refused to discuss whether the US military has stepped up plans for military strikes against Iran, and joining President George Bush in attacking such news reports as unfounded speculation.

“It is just simply not useful to get into fantasyland,” Mr Rumsfeld said.

The New Yorker magazine reported over the weekend that the Bush administration was considering the use of bunker-busting tactical nuclear weapons against alleged Iranian underground nuclear sites.

“We have I do not know how many various contingency plans in this department,” Mr Rumsfeld said at a press conference with Gen Peter Pace, the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff.

“And the last thing I am going to do is to start telling you or anyone else in the press or the world at what point we refresh a plan or do not refresh a plan and why,” he said. “It just is not useful.”

“And I have responded with respect to Iran,” he added. “We are on a diplomatic track. The president has said exactly what he wants said. And we support the president.”—AFP