Asked by Radio Monte-Carlo to comment on US President George W. Bush's comments comparing the Iranian government to Al-Qaeda, Douste-Blazy said: "We cannot accept a war of civilisations" between a "western bloc" and a "Muslim bloc".

"Good and evil are not decreed by the West in this country or that continent," he said.

On the Iranian nuclear issue, he said: "More than ever we must keep open a dialogue with Tehran." And he called for a "gradual approach" to overcome the differences between the US -- which is demanding sanctions against Iran -- and Russia and China, which have so far opposed them.