Iran's defense minister said on Monday that any U.S. military attack over its nuclear programme would result in a humiliating defeat for the United States, the official IRNA news agency reported.

Iranian Defence Minister Mostafa Mohammad-Najjar gestures in this April 20, 2006 file photo. Iran's defense minister said on Monday that any U.S. military attack over its nuclear programme would result in a humiliating defeat for the United States, the official IRNA news agency reported. [Reuters]

He was speaking on the anniversary of an attempt in 1980 by the U.S. military to rescue Americans held hostage in the U.S. embassy in Tehran. The mission failed when the helicopters crashed in a sand storm in the Tabas desert in eastern Iran.

"If America chooses the military option a humiliating defeat worse than their failure in the Tabas desert will await them," Defense Minister Mostafa Mohammad-Najjar was quoted by IRNA as saying.

Iran says the sand storm was "divine wrath."

Iran is embroiled in a dispute with the West over its nuclear program, which the United States says it designed to build bombs. Washington says it wants a diplomatic solution but has refused to rule out military action.

"Bringing up the issue of military option, threatening Iran with it ... contradicts the charter of the United Nations and other international regulations," Najjar said.

Iran has also staged high-profile wargames in the Gulf and boasted of new home-grown missiles that experts say would enable the country to wreak havoc in the vital oil shipping route through the Strait of Hormuz, if pushed.

Iran has been referred to the Security Council, where Western nations have threatened to press for sanctions.

Iran says its program is purely civilian and says it only wants to make fuel for nuclear power plants.