WORLD NEWS BRIEFS

IRAN / Mullen: Military strike not off table

The U.S. military has a plan to attack Iran, Adm. Mike Mullen, the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, said Sunday, although he thinks a military strike is probably a bad idea. Later, Iranian state media quoted a deputy chief of the Revolutionary Guard as saying there would be a strong Iranian response should the U.S. take military action against his country. Mullen has cautioned about the ripple effects around the Middle East such a strike would have. At the same time, Mullen said the risk of Iran's developing a nuclear weapon is unacceptable, although he would not say which risk he thinks is worse. "I think the military options have been on the table and remain on the table," Mullen said on NBC's "Meet the Press." "I hope we don't get to that, but it's an important option and it's one that's well understood."

IRAN / Calls to try 3 Americans

Iran reiterated Sunday that three Americans jailed a year ago should stand trial on charges of illegally crossing the country's borders. Foreign Ministry spokesman Ramin Mehmanparast said Iran is also considering other possible charges against Shane Bauer, Sarah Shourd and Josh Fattal including intentionally acting against Iranian security, according to a state media report. There has been no indication from Iran so far that formal charges against the three have been filed. The Americans' families and the U.S. government say the three are innocent and accidentally crossed Iran's border while hiking in northern Iraq. Responding to suggestions for a prisoner swap, Mehmanparast denied the Americans' case was related to Iranians believed held in the United States.

RUSSIA / New wildfires break out

Hundreds of new fires broke out Sunday in Russian forests and fields that have been dried to a crisp by drought and record heat, but firefighters claimed success in bringing some of the wildfires raging around cities under control. The wildfires in western Russia have so far killed 28 people and destroyed or damaged 77 towns or villages since last week, the Emergencies Ministry said. Thousands of people have been evacuated.

UNITED NATIONS / World Heritage sites expanded

UNESCO added 14 cultural sites to its World Heritage List over the weekend, including the Imperial Citadel of Thang Long-Hanoi in Vietnam and the Bikini Atoll in the Marshall Islands, home to nuclear bomb testing in the 1940s and 1950s. The UN Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization's meeting in Sao Paulo to consider cultural sites for the list, now at 904 with the latest additions, is set to end Tuesday.