On a visit to Washington, Foreign Minister Franco Frattini said that he agreed with Secretary of State Hillary Clinton to step up consultations with Arab nations on Iran's nuclear ambitions.

"We together have to prevent Iran from going nuclear. This is a concern for all of us -- for Western democracies, the United States and Europe, but for Arab states as well," Frattini told a joint news conference.

"We are in perfect agreement in broadening the consultation of a number of states in the region that can be interested and are interested in talking about what to do," he said.

"Of course, those who want to go nuclear will be exploiting eventual divisions. We cannot allow them to do so," he said.

Iran has historically had tense relations with many Arab nations. Iran and Iraq fought a brutal border war from 1980 to 1988.

Since its 1979 Islamic revolution, Iran has been an arch-enemy of Israel which has been especially concerned at the prospect of Iran developing nuclear weapons.

Clinton said that she and her Italian counterpart agreed that Iran "must fully address international concerns about its nuclear program and end the repression and abuse of its citizens."

"Iran faces a clear choice between continued isolation and living up to its international obligations," she said.

President Barack Obama's administration has offered dialogue with Iran to end three decades of mistrust but has voiced growing frustration as the Islamic republic balks at a UN-backed offer to ease concerns about its nuclear program.

While treading carefully, the administration has in recent weeks stepped up its criticism of President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad's human rights record including its use of force to disperse opposition protesters.

Iran says its controversial nuclear drive is aimed at peaceful use of energy but Western powers are skeptical, believing it is trying to build a nuclear bomb.

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