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Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert has said drastic measures are needed to stop Iran obtaining nuclear weapons.

Mr Olmert told members of the American Israel Public Affairs Committee that targeted economic sanctions imposed against Iran were not enough.

"The international community has a duty and responsibility to clarify to Iran, through drastic measures, that the repercussions of their continued pursuit of nuclear weapons will be devastating," he said.

A second, the official said, was to send a clear message to the United States and other countries that Israel was prepared to act militarily if diplomatic efforts to stop Iran from producing bomb-grade uranium continued to falter.

But American officials were also told that Israel had prepared plans for striking nuclear targets in Iran and could carry them out if needed.

Two sets of advance Russian-made radar systems were recently delivered to Iran. The radar will enhance Iran's ability to detect planes flying at low altitude.

MOSCOW - Russia's foreign minister on Friday warned against the use of force on Iran, saying there is no proof it is trying to build nuclear weapons.

The IAEA suggested in a report to the U.N. Security Council last month that Iran was stonewalling investigators and possibly withholding information crucial to determining whether it conducted research on nuclear weapons.

On Monday, Iran and Iraq signed a Memorandum of Understanding on bilateral defense cooperation. The agreement lays out the basis for an "expansion of defense cooperation between the two countries,"  according to Iran's official IRNA news agency. The agreement is expected to play a role in influencing Baghdad to refuse an American request that US troops be allowed to remain in Iraq past the end of 2008.

n addition to its defense pact with Iraq, Iran signed a similar Memorandum of Understanding with Syria in 2006. Iran and Syria cooperate in supplying and supporting the Hizbullah terrorist organization endeavoring to take over Lebanon, on Israel's northern border.

Analysts say Total's move will be a big blow to the Iranian energy industry.

Total was the last major Western energy group to have seriously considered investing in the country's huge gas reserves. It was also one of the few companies in the world to have the technology needed to exploit Iran's huge, but untapped gas reserves.

Jon Leyne in Tehran says it has been particularly galling for Tehran to watch as Qatar pumps vast amounts of gas from the South Pars field to its side of the Gulf, helping it become one of the world's major energy suppliers.