Israel warned on Monday that all options were on the table in preventing Iran from obtaining nuclear weapons, echoing Washington in ratcheting up the rhetoric against their archfoe.
"We are not ruling out any option," a senior government official quoted Prime Minister Ehud Olmert as telling parliament's foreign affairs and defence committee.

"Anything that can lead to preventing Iran from nuclear capability is part of the legitimate context when dealing with the problem."

His comments coincide with US President George W. Bush's Middle East trip, which is aimed in large part at mustering the support of Washington's regional allies in his campaign to isolate Iran.

Both the United States and Israel say Iran is using its nuclear drive as a cover for efforts to build an atomic bomb, but Tehran denies the charges, saying its programme is aimed at generating energy for its growing population.

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Israel is widely believed to be the Middle East's only nuclear-armed power with an estimated 200 warheads although it has never confirmed or denied having an atomic arsenal.

During Bush's visit last week, Israel said it was keeping all options on the table if economic and diplomatic pressure failed to halt Tehran's controversial nuclear programme.

"The Iranians are continuing their ingrained efforts to produce non-conventional capabilities and therefore we should use all the available means to stop it," Olmert said on Monday.

"There are many options that should be applied wisely, with determination and consistence," he said. "We should continue international efforts on this issue and we have a strong basis to assume, in view of my talks with the president, that this activity will not stop."

A US intelligence report in December said that Iran halted a nuclear weapons programme in 2003, although Washington is still pushing for a new set of UN sanctions against the Islamic republic.

The UN atomic watchdog, which has been investigating Iran's nuclear programme for several years, said on Sunday that Tehran has agreed to clear up remaining questions on its activities -- including any military work -- in four weeks.

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