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ASPEN,
Colo. — Adm. Mike Mullen said Monday he believes Iran will continue to
pursue nuclear weapons, even if sanctions against the country are
increased.

Speaking at the Aspen Security Forum, the chairman of
the joint chiefs of staff said it would be "incredibly dangerous" for
Iran to achieve nuclear weapons, and that there's "no reason to trust"
Iran's assurances that it is only pursuing a peaceful nuclear program,
especially after the discovery of the secret nuclear facility in Qom.

But
he said a military strike against Iran would be "incredibly
destabilizing" to the region, and that he believed U.S. ally Israel
understands that. The admiral was responding to questions about whether
he shared the assessment of CIA Director Leon Panetta, who said on
Sunday that Iran likely has enough nuclear material to make two weapons,
but is at least a year away from being able to carry that out.

Mullen
has just returned from a multination tour that included a stop in Tel
Aviv, where he met with his Israeli military counterpart to discuss
Iran's continuing defiance of the international community over the
nuclear issue.

The U.N. Security Council approved new sanctions
against Iran earlier this month. Congress and the European Union
followed with additional measures aimed at discouraging Iran from
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