(Agencies)
Updated: 2008-01-11 15:15

Bush's tour from Friday of Kuwait, Bahrain, the United Arab Emirates and Saudi Arabia aims to boost support for his policy of isolating Iran over its controversial nuclear programme.

Kuwait, which has thousands of US troops based in the emirate, is expected to welcome Bush as a friend but is wary over Washington's possible use of force against neighbouring Iran.

Like other US allies in the oil-rich Gulf, Kuwait is concerned that Bush may try to whip up support for military action against Iran, which Washington has accused of seeking nuclear weapons. Tehran denies any such intent.

Bush began his regional tour in Israel on Wednesday with a warning that Iran posed "a threat to world peace" and should not be allowed to develop the know-how to build a nuclear weapon.

He also warned Tehran of "serious consequences" if it attacked US warships in the Gulf.

On Sunday three US Navy vessels and Iranian speedboats were involved in an incident in the Strait of Hormuz at the entrance to the Gulf.

Tehran accuses Washington of using the incident in the strategic waterway - a vital conduit for energy supplies - as a propaganda stunt to paint Iran in a bad light during Bush's Middle East trip which ends on Wednesday.

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