Gates calls Iran nuclear facility illegal, probably for non-peaceful use

WASHINGTON (CNN) - Defense Secretary Robert Gates says Iran's secret underground nuclear facility revealed this week is illegal and likely intended for military purposes.

"I think that certainly the intelligence people have no doubt that … this is an illicit nuclear facility, if only … because the Iranians kept it a secret," Gates said in an interview broadcast Sunday on CNN's State of the Union.

"If they wanted it for peaceful nuclear purposes, there's no reason to put it so deep underground, no reason to be deceptive about it, keep it a … secret for a protracted period of time," Gates said.

Gates refused to rule out a military strike by the United States and its allies, but called for diplomatic efforts including sanctions first.

"The reality is, there is no military option that does anything more than buy time," Gates said. "The estimates are one to three years or so. And the only way you end up not having a nuclear-capable Iran is for the Iranian government to decide that their security is diminished by having those weapons, as opposed to strengthened.

"And so I think, as I say, while you don't take options off the table, I think there's still room left for diplomacy."