Iran tested more missiles in the Gulf yesterday, state media said, and the US reminded Tehran that it was ready to defend its allies.

Washington, which accuses Tehran of seeking nuclear arms, said after Iran test-fired nine missiles on Wednesday there should be no more such tests if Iran wanted the world's trust.

US leaders have not ruled out military options if diplomacy fails to assuage fears about Iran's nuclear programme, which Tehran says is only to produce electricity.

Israel, long assumed to have its own atomic arsenal, has sworn to prevent Iran from emerging as a nuclear-armed power. Last month it staged an air force exercise that stoked speculation about a possible assault on Iranian nuclear sites.

Defence Minister Ehud Barak said yesterday he favoured the use of diplomatic pressure and sanctions, but added: "Israel is the strongest country in the region and has proved in the past it is not afraid to take action when its vital security interests are at stake".

Mr Barak, leader of the centre-left Labour party, made the comments two days after an aide to Iran's Supreme Leader was quoted as saying his country would hit Tel Aviv, US shipping in the Gulf and US interests in reply to any military strike.

Iran has vowed to strike back at Tel Aviv, as well as US interests and shipping, if it is attacked, asserting that missiles fired during war games under way in the Gulf included ones that could hit Israel and US bases in the region.

US Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice said on a visit to the former Soviet republic of Georgia that no one should be confused about Washington's commitment to protect its allies.

"We are also sending a message to Iran that we will defend American interests and... the interests of our allies," she said after meeting Georgian President Mikheil Saakashvili.

Dr Rice said a planned US missile defence shield, to be partly based in the Czech Republic and Poland, would dampen any threat of an attack from Iran. Russia opposes the project.

"We also are able to look to the future of a missile defence system that will make it more difficult for Iran to threaten (and) and be bellicose and say terrible things because their missiles won't work," Dr Rice said.

Iran has threatened to shut the Strait of Hormuz, a vital route for Gulf oil exports, if it is attacked. Yesterday's exercises involved divers and speedboats, as well as the launch of a high-speed torpedo called Hout, state media said.

Sign up to our free newsletters

Get the best updates straight to your inbox:
Please select at least one mailing list.

You can unsubscribe at any time by clicking the link in the footer of our emails. We use Mailchimp as our marketing platform. By subscribing, you acknowledge that your information will be transferred to Mailchimp for processing.