The United States can not accept a nuclear-armed Iran and would prevent Tehran from acquiring nuclear weapons, said Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton on Monday.

"In addition to threatening Israel, a nuclear-armed Iran would embolden its terrorist clientele and would spark an arms race that could destabilize the region. This is unacceptable," Clinton told the annual policy conference of the American Israel Public Affairs Committee (AIPAC), the most influential America's bi-partisan pro-Israel lobby.

Citing a nuclear-armed Iran is unacceptable to the United States, Israel and the international community, Clinton told some 7,500 pro-Israel activists that the United States "is determined to prevent Iran from acquiring nuclear weapons."

According to Clinton, the United States is working with its partners in the United Nations on new Security Council sanctions "that will show Iran's leaders that there are real consequences for their intransigence, that the only choice is to live up to their international obligations."

"We will not compromise our commitment to preventing Iran from acquiring these weapons," said Clinton.

Both the United States and Israle accuse Tehran of attempting to build nuclear weapons. Tehran has rejected the accusation and insisted that the Islamic republic has the right to use nuclear energy for peaceful purpose. Over the past few months, the Obama administration has been pursuing a fourth UN Security Council sanctions resolution against Iran.