WASHINGTON, March 11: The commander of US forces in the Middle East, Admiral William Fallon, has tendered resignation amid reports he differed with President George Bush over Iran, US officials said on Tuesday.

Defence Secretary Robert Gates announced he had accepted Admiral Fallon’s resignation just after the admiral issued a statement saying he had requested permission to retire because of a magazine article that portrayed him as opposed to Mr Bush’s policies on Iran.

Mr Gates said that was “a misperception” and there were no significant differences between the Centcom chief’s views on Iran and those of the administration.

Asked about Esquire magazine’s contention that Admiral Fallon’s removal would signal the United States was preparing to invade Iran, Robert Gates said: “Well, that’s just ridiculous.

The article in Esquire magazine suggested Admiral Fallon was pushing the administration not to invade Iran.

“I have approved Admiral Fallon’s request to retire with reluctance and regret,” Mr Gates told a hastily called news conference.

Fallon heads US Central Command, the headquarters which oversees operations in the Middle East, including Iraq and Afghanistan.

Fallon will retire at the end of the month and his deputy, Army Lt. Gen. Martin Dempsey, will take charge of Central Command until a long-term successor is chosen, Mr Gates said.

Mr Gates praised the admiral and insisted he had supported the administration’s policy of using diplomacy to try to resolve differences with Tehran while not taking military options off the table.

“Recent press reports suggesting a disconnect between my views and the president’s policy objectives have become a distraction at a critical time and hamper efforts in the Centcom region,” Admiral Fallon said in a statement.

“And I don’t believe there have ever been any differences about the objectives of our policy in the Central Command Area of Responsibility,” he said.—Agencies