"I am deeply concerned about Iran, as should a lot of people be concerned about Iran," said Bush, who accuses the Islamic republic of using a civilian nuclear program as cover for efforts to get the atomic bomb.

"I'm concerned about a nontransparent society's desire to develop a nuclear weapon. The world cannot be put in a position where we can be blackmailed by a nuclear weapon," Bush said during a brief trip here.

The US president also took aim at recent anti-Israel comments by Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, who said that country should be wiped off the map.

"I am concerned when the country of Iran's president announces his desire to see that Israel gets destroyed. Israel's our ally. We're committed to the safety of Israel, and it's a commitment we will keep," said Bush.

If Iran, which denies it seeks atomic weapons, continues to reject diplomatic efforts meant to soothe concerns, "the next logical step" is to refer Tehran to the UN Security Council for possible sanctions, said Bush.

The US president, who famously called Iran part of an "axis of evil" with North Korea and Saddam Hussein's Iraq, said he wanted "the Iranian people to hear loud and clear, and that is, we have no beef with you."

"We are worried about a government ... whose aims and objectives are not peaceful, and, therefore, we don't think that you should have the capacity to make a nuclear weapon," said Bush.

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