ISLAMABAD, March 6: President Gen Pervez Musharraf on Tuesday warned that there would be serious consequences of a US attack on Iran because this would plunge the whole region into a serious sectarian strife.

"That is why we are trying and asking the US and our friends in the Gulf to make serious efforts to avoid this attack," he told reporters after inaugurating an international conference on UN peacekeeping at the National Defence University.

He said that it was the responsibility of all countries to ensure that there was no US attack on Iran.

He, however, said that "total and complete unanimity of views" existed between Pakistan and the US on the fast developing security situation in the region.

He described as nonsense reports that "US Vice-President Dick Cheney was here to warn us or threaten us with consequences."

Since Dick Cheney's unannounced visit to Islamabad, there have been strong speculations in the American and other western media about Washington giving a stern warning to President Musharraf for eliminating Taliban from the country's border region. But speaking for the first time on the issue, Gen Musharraf described all such report as baseless.“In fact very fruitful, candid and meaningful discussions took place with Mr Cheney on the occasion,” the president said.

"It is absolutely wrong to say that Pakistan and the United States were heading for a showdown," he said, adding that the two countries did not hold conflicting views on regional and international issues.

"Both the countries do not have any differences over their strategy to deal with some very important regional and international issues. But there could be some differences of opinion regarding the tactical implementation of things for which both sides are making some adjustments and readjustments," President Musharraf said.

He denied that the US vice-president had put pressure on Pakistan to collaborate with the Bush administration on various issues, including those relating to Afghanistan and Iran.

"Let me tell you very honesty that no one is threatening us with anything. Nobody in fact could talk to us in a threatening manner as we are a sovereign state and those who hold such views that we can be pressurised must have some problems with themselves," he said.

Asked what should Pakistan do if Iran was attacked by the United States, he said: “Then we should first save our country because Pakistan comes first. We have to move carefully to save ourselves."

"There will be a huge turmoil in the region and the world in case of US attack on Iran and since we know our environment we are trying to avoid destabilisation of our region," Gen Musharraf said.

"Once there is a turmoil then who knows what would happen and our all efforts are aimed at convincing everyone to avoid this turmoil," he added.

The president said he had told his friends in the United States and the region to find out some solution to the crisis. "We have to find out a solution to the crisis to make our region peaceful and stable," he said.