Ali Shamkhani was responding to comments made last month by Israeli Defence Minister Shaul Mofaz, who said Israel would not permit Iran to develop nuclear weapons - a hint it was prepared to take unilateral military action.

"We will strike Israel with all weapons at our disposal if the Zionist regime ventures to do so," Shamkhani said on Wednesday in comments carried by the official Islamic Republic News Agency. He said the Shahab-3, able to reach Israel, was one of the weapons that would be used.

The Shahab-3, officially deployed to the military in last July, has a range of about 1,300km. Israel is about 965km west of Iran.

Shamkhani's comments marked the second Iranian response in two days. On Tuesday, reporters outside Parliament asked Shamkhani and President Mohamed Khatami about Mofaz's statement. The minister responded, "No place will be safe in Israel."

The President, meanwhile, scoffed at the Israeli words. "Israel will make a damn mistake" if they attack Iran, Khatami said with a smile, in footage aired on state-run television.

Shamkhani said on Wednesday that Mofaz's statement proved that Israel was "an evil entity."