US tells NATO it wants to avoid war with Iran

BRUSSELS: US Defense Secretary Mark Esper told NATO allies on Thursday that the United States did not want to go to war with Iran but said it could not tolerate any further incidents, according to allied diplomats present.

After speaking for several minutes to NATO defence ministers in a closed-door session, Esper was warned by France not to involve the NATO alliance in any military mission in the Gulf. Together with Germany and other European allies, France made a plea to uphold the Iran nuclear accord.