JERUSALEM, Dec. 1 (Xinhuanet) -- Prime Minister Ariel Sharon said on Thursday that Israel is following up with growing concern Iran's efforts to achieve nuclear capabilities and this situation is unacceptable to Israel, the Ha'aretz daily reported.

   Speaking at editors' convention in Tel Aviv, Sharon said, however, that "Israel does not spearhead the international struggle against Iran's nuclear arming."

   "The danger does not relate only to Israel, it risks Israel, Middle Eastern countries and many other countries around the world. Therefore the efforts led by the U.S. today must include free countries that understand this grave danger," he said.

   "I said Israel should not lead (these efforts), but it is certainly in close coordination with the countries that run this battle," he stressed.

   Sharon said the West has military capabilities to handle Iran, but "before anyone decides on a military step, every effort would be made to pressure Iran to halt this activity. It seems to me such efforts can be fruitful," he said.

   Meanwhile, Israeli military intelligence chief Major General Aharon Ze'evi told the Knesset (parliament) Wednesday that diplomacy would have failed if Iran was still working on producing nuclear weapons by March.

   "If by the end of March 2006, the international community does not manage to use diplomatic means to block Iran's effort to produce a nuclear bomb, there will no longer be any reason to continue diplomatic activity in this field, and it will be possible to say that the international attempts to thwart (Iran's efforts) have failed," he said.

   Several parliament members said they thought Ze'evi was saying military efforts will become necessary by April. Enditem