ABOARD A U.S. MILITARY AIRCRAFT – The top U.S. military officer said Sunday he does not assume Iran's brief seizure of an Iraqi oil well is part of an orchestrated plan in Tehran.
Adm. Mike Mullen also said he's worried about "the clock now running" on the Obama administration's efforts at trying to keep the lines of communication open with Iran.
The chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff said "signals are very clearly in the air" about more international penalties against Iran over its nuclear program. The U.S. and others worry that Iran's program is intended to make a nuclear weapon. Iran says its work is peaceful and designed to generate electricity.
Mullen spoke while flying from Germany back to the U.S. The oil well incident adds to his worry about Iran's intentions toward neighboring Iraq and the rest of the world, he said.
Mullen supports the offer of outreach from President Barack Obama, and has said any military strike on Iran, whether by Israel or the United States, should be a last resort.