Iran has said that it would retaliate against any pre-emptive attack on its nuclear facilities by “burning” the Israeli city of Tel Aviv and American shipping in the Persian Gulf.

In rhetoric which further raises the temperature in the Islamic Republic's stand-off with the West, an aide to Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, the Supreme Leader, today emphasised that his country would not hesitate to spark off a regional war if any state tried to destroy its programme.

Israel has vowed to deny Iran any atomic technology which gives it bomb-making potential, and last month carried out a military exercise over Greece that was widely interpreted as a coded warning to Iran to halt its programme or face the consequences.

The comments today by Ali Shirazi, Ayatollah Khamenei’s representative to the Revolutionary Guard, will intensify the war of words between Iran and the West and increase fears of military confrontation, which has helped to boost world oil prices to record highs in recent weeks.

“The first bullet fired by America at Iran will be followed by Iran burning down its vital interests around the globe," the ISNA news agency quoted Mr Shirazi as saying in a speech to the Revolutionary Guard.

"The Zionist regime is pressuring White House officials to attack Iran. If they commit such a stupidity, Tel Aviv and US shipping in the Persian Gulf will be Iran’s first targets and they will be burned."

The West fears that Iran is enriching uranium in order to build nuclear weapons. Increasingly belligerent rhetoric employed by President Ahmadinejad, including apparent threats to destroy Israel, has also stoked fears. Mr Ahmadinejad claims that his programme is for peaceful purposes, to serve Iran's energy needs.

"The Iranian nation will never accept bullying. The Iranian nation is a nation of believers which believes in jihad and martyrdom. No army in the world can confront it," he added.

Ehud Olmert, the Israeli Prime Minister, declined to comment on the threat to hit Tel Aviv. Mark Regev, his spokesman, said: "Shirazi’s words speak for themselves."

Israel has pledged to prevent Iran from acquiring an atomic bomb and has not ruled out military action. The United States says that it wants to resolve the dispute by diplomacy but has also refused to rule out an armed strike.

In April, Israel’s Infrastructure Minister, Binyamin Ben-Eliezer, a former army general and Defence Minister, told Israeli media: "An Iranian attack will prompt a severe reaction from Israel, which will destroy the Iranian nation."

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