The Democratic White House rivals locked horns over the Islamic republic on separate television shows, two days before their next nominating showdowns in Indiana and North Carolina.

Clinton was asked on ABC News whether she had any regrets about threatening to "totally obliterate" Iran if it used nuclear weapons against Israel, which prompted Tehran to complain to the United Nations.

"Why would I have any regrets? I am asked a question about what I would do if Iran attacked our ally, a country that many of us have a great deal of, you know, connection with and feeling for," Clinton said.

"I think we have to be very clear about what we would do," Clinton said. "I don't think it is time to equivocate about what we would do.

"I sure want to make it abundantly clear to them that they would face a tremendous cost if they did such a thing."

Clinton however said her priority as president would be to prevent Iran from developing a nuclear weapon, though even if it did so, the former first lady said she did not expect Tehran would use such a bomb against Israel.

Moments earlier, on NBC, Obama rebuked Clinton's comments on Iran.

"It's not the language that we need right now, and I think it's language that's reflective of (President) George Bush," he said.

"We have had a foreign policy of bluster and saber-rattling and tough talk, and in the meantime we make a series of strategic decisions that actually strengthen Iran," Obama said.

"Israel is an ally of ours, it is the most important ally we have in the region. And there is no doubt that we would act forcefully and appropriately on any attack against (Israel), nuclear or otherwise.

"But it is important that we use language that sends a signal to the world community that we're shifting from the sort of cowboy diplomacy, lack of diplomacy, that we've seen out of George Bush."

Obama also said he was not yet ready to go as far as Clinton in promising to extend the US nuclear umbrella to US allies like Jordan and Saudi Arabia, if Iran were to go nuclear.

Iran's UN mission last week complained to the UN Security Council over Clinton's earlier threat, accusing her of making "provocative, unwarranted and irresponsible statements."

Obama said that Iran's complaint had elicited sympathy from other UN members, underlining in his view the misguided nature of Clinton's remark.

In an April 22 interview with ABC, Clinton was asked what she would do as president if Iran were to launch a nuclear strike on Israel.

"I want the Iranians to know that if I'm the president, we will attack Iran," she replied.

"In the next 10 years, during which they might foolishly consider launching an attack on Israel, we would be able to totally obliterate them," she added.

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