Iran's defense minister called for a growing Islamic alliance against the United States and Israel and said that any attacks on Iran's nuclear facilities would result in a swift and crushing response.

'When the Iranian nation sees our crushing response to the enemy, it should know one of our nuclear or non-nuclear facilities has been attacked,' said Defense Minister Ali Shamkhani on Iranian state-run radio.

This came one day after an explosion near a nuclear facility in southern Iran was initially reported as a possible missile strike. After an investigation, it was determined the explosion was likely due to construction work on a nearby dam.

Former Iranian President Rafsanjani called for an alliance among Islamic nations in the wake of Syria and Iran's announcement of an alliance yesterday. The alliance is to oppose pressure from the United States to isolate both Iran and Syria.

President Bush has accused both nations of supporting the insurgency in Iraq and international terrorism. Syria gives support to Hezbollah, which has announced its intention to scuttle the Middle East peace negotiations between Israel and the Palestinians and supports acts of terror against Israel. Syria has also been accused of allowing foreign insurgents to enter Iraq through its territory and for harboring former leaders of the regime of Saddam Hussein.

President Bush made a remark at a press conference concerning Iran's alleged nuclear weapons program and how it would affect Israel. 'If I was the leader of Israel and I'd listened to some of the statements by the Iranian ayatollahs that regarded the security of my country, I'd be concerned about Iran having a nuclear weapon as well,' Bush said.

Both Syria and Iran deny support of insurgency in Iraq and international terrorism. Right now, Washington's get tough stance against these two nations is drawing them closer together.