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Iran accused Israel and the United States of seeking world support for a military strike on its nuclear facilities, which Russia warned on Monday would be "a very serious mistake".

The spike in tension comes ahead of the release this week of a report into Iran's nuclear program by the International Atomic Energy Agency, which diplomats say will focus on the Islamic republic's alleged efforts to put fissile material in a warhead and developing missiles.

Iran's President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, in an interview with Egypt's Al-Akhbar newspaper published on Monday, warned against a military attack on Iran and again insisted Teheran's atomic program was for peaceful purposes only.

"Iran's capabilities are increasing and it is progressing, and for that reason it has been able to compete in the world. Now Israel and the West, particularly America, fear Iran's capabilities and role," Ahmadinejad told the state-run daily.

"Therefore they are trying to gather international support for a military operation to stop (Iran's) role. The arrogant should know that Iran will not allow them to take any action against it," he said.

Ahmadinejad added that Washington wanted to "save the Zionist entity, but it will not be able to do so".

"This entity (Israel) can be compared to a kidney transplanted in a body that rejected it," he said. "Yes it will collapse and its end will be near."

Ahmadinejad's diatribe against Israel, Iran's arch-foe, came after Israeli President Shimon Peres warned in a television interview on Saturday that an attack on Iran was becoming "more and more likely".

He followed this up in comments published on Sunday by the Israel Hayom daily, saying: "The possibility of a military attack against Iran is now closer to being applied than the application of a diplomatic option.

"We must stay calm and resist pressure so that we can consider every alternative," Peres said.

Responding to Peres's comments, Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov warned in Moscow on Monday against a military strike on Iran.

"It would be a very serious mistake fraught with unpredictable consequences," said Lavrov.

（中國日報網英語點津 Helen 編輯）

About the broadcaster:

Lee Hannon is Chief Editor at China Daily with 15-years experience in print and broadcast journalism. Born in England, Lee has traveled extensively around the world as a journalist including four years as a senior editor in Los Angeles. He now lives in Beijing and is happy to move to China and join the China Daily team.