"I honestly don't believe [a nuclear weapon] will give any immunity to Iran," Kouchner said in an interview published on Israel's Haaretz newspaper on Sunday.

"Israel has always said it will not wait for the bomb to be ready. I think that [the Iranians] know. Everyone knows," said Kouchner, who is in Israel for a visit.

Kouchner said he hoped tough diplomacy and sanctions would persuade Iran to stop its disputed uranium enrichment programme.

Iran insists its nuclear programme is peaceful, but Israel and Western countries claim that Iran is using it to secretly build nuclear weapons.

Agencies