UNITED NATIONS, Sept 23: Iranian Foreign Minister Kamal Kharazi warned on Wednesday his country would react "most severely" to any Israeli strike against its nuclear facilities.

"Israel is always a threat not only against Iran, but all countries in the Middle East," Mr Kharazi said after talks here with his British counterpart, Jack Straw. "Be sure that any action by Israel certainly will be reacted by us most severely."

Mr Kharazi said he had "a very good discussion" with Mr Straw on the nuclear issue as well as relations between the two countries. "I believe there are concerns on all sides," the Iranian minister said. "There are concerns on the European side, and we have to arrive to some conclusions that will be acceptable to both sides to overcome this impasse."

He said he believed there were "ways and means how to make both sides happy," but added: "Nobody can deny our right, which is using nuclear technology for peaceful purposes."

Mr Straw did not make a statement at the end of the talks. The International Atomic Energy Agency has given Iran until Nov 25 to provide assurances that its nuclear programme has no secret military aspects.

US Secretary of State Colin Powell said earlier Wednesday that the US had no plans to attack Iran to thwart what it claims is the Islamic republic's pursuit of nuclear weapons, but has not formally ruled out any options to deal with the matter. Iran says talks only way to resolve nuke stand off. -AFP/Reuters