Bahrain has received confirmation from the United States that Washington wants a peaceful solution to the Iranian nuclear issue, the Bahraini foreign minister said Monday.

"As for the possibility of an attack on Iran, we believe that during our meetings with U.S. officials we received acknowledgement that the United States does not back the idea of military intervention over the situation around Iran," Foreign Minister Shaikh Khalid bin Ahmed al-Khalifa told reporters.

Khalifa, speaking after a meeting with Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov, said that Bahrain agrees that Iran has the right to develop a peaceful nuclear program.

With regards to relations between Israel and Iran, Khalifa said all countries should adopt "a responsible approach" to maintain stability in the region.

U.S. Defense Secretary Leon Panetta said that Israel could attack Iran this spring, The Washington Post reported Thursday.

Following an IAEA report on Iran's nuclear program in November, the United States, Britain, Canada and the European Union have announced new sanctions against Tehran in a bid to force Iran to quit its nuclear drive.