TEL AVIV, Oct 27: Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon urged European MPs here on Monday to exert pressure on Iran, charging that the country was the “main threat to Israel” and seeks to “obtain weapons of mass destruction”.

He also told the 150-strong assembly gathered at the Knesset that he appreciated Europe’s efforts in convincing Iran to let nuclear inspectors review its controversial atomic activities, but urged caution.

“Iran constitutes the main threat to Israel as it publicly calls for the destruction of the state of Israel,” he said.

“It is clear to everybody that Iran is trying to obtain weapons of mass destruction.

“We appreciate Europe’s efforts but we must observe Iran’s next steps very carefully. We cannot rest on our laurels,” said the Israeli premier.

“Nuclear weapons in the hands of Iran is maybe the greatest danger for us,” he added.

The foreign ministers of the EU’s three biggest member countries — Jack Straw, Dominique de Villepin and Joschka Fischer — went to Tehran last week to urge Iran to comply with International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) demands over its nuclear drive.

Iran agreed to sign an additional protocol to the Non-Proliferation Treaty allowing snap inspections of its nuclear sites by IAEA monitors.

Sharon also charged that “Iran is sponsoring Palestinian terrorism, is active in the Arab Israeli population and in Lebanon through Hezbollah”.

“Hezbollah has 11,000 rockets with a range capable of reaching northern Israel,” he said, hours before the militant group fired a barrage of artillery at Israeli military positions in a disputed border area.

Israel responded by shelling the outskirts of southern Lebanese villages.

Sharon also said that Iran, via Hezbollah, was “operating with the military arm” of Fatah, Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat’s party.

“They get money, weapons, they get even instructions,” he said.

The Israeli premier appealed to the members of the European parliament and to MPs from various European countries visiting Israel to “exert pressure against Iran, Syria and terrorist groups they sponsor, such as Hezbollah”.

“Hezbollah should be added to the European Union terrorist list,” he said.

The group’s is on a US State Department list of international terror organizations. —AFP