WASHINGTON: US Vice-President Joe Biden has signalled that the Obama administration would not stand in the way if Israel chose to attack Iran's nuclear facilities.

"Israel can determine for itself - it's a sovereign nation - what's in their interest and what they decide to do relative to Iran and anyone else," Biden told ABC's This Week in an interview broadcast yesterday.

"Whether we agree or not. They're entitled to do that. Any sovereign nation is entitled to do that. But there is no pressure from any nation that's going to alter our behaviour as to how to proceed," Biden said.

He also said the US offer to negotiate with Tehran on its nuclear programme still stands.

Biden's comments came as chairman of the US Joint Chiefs of Staff Admiral Mike Mullen warned that a US military strike on Iran's nuclear facilities would be "very destabilising", and any attack could have serious "unintended consequences".

"That said, I think it's very important as we deal with Iran that we don't take any options, including military options, off the table," he added.

Meanwhile, Israel said it has no plans to station submarines in Eilat, playing down speculation the Red Sea port could become a forward base for naval attacks on Iran.

An Israeli Dolphin-class submarine took part in a drill off Eilat last week, after sailing from the Mediterranean via the Suez Canal - the first such voyage for the secret craft.