Nato Secretary General Mark Rutte has stressed that Tehran should not be allowed to have a nuclear bomb, as Israel and Iran exchange fresh strikes, AFP reports.

“When it comes to Nato’s stance on Iran’s nuclear programme, allies have long agreed that Iran must not develop a nuclear weapon,” said Rutte ahead of a Nato summit in The Hague.

He dismissed suggestions that the war in the Middle East would deflect attention from the summit of the 32 Nato leaders starting on Tuesday.

Rutte also noted that Iran was “heavily involved” in Russia’s war against Ukraine.

“Iranian drones are killing innocent Ukrainians every day in cities, in communities without any respect for life,” said Rutte.