FACTBOX: U.S. presidential candidates on Iran

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The Bush administration accuses Iran of seeking to acquire nuclear weapons and says it could consider using military force to stop it. Iran says its nuclear program is for producing electricity.

Following are the U.S. presidential candidates' statements on Iran:

NEW YORK DEMOCRATIC SEN. HILLARY CLINTON

Clinton has said the United States could "totally obliterate" Iran in retaliation for a nuclear strike against Israel, comments that prompted Iran to lodge a complaint with the United Nations.

Clinton has also said the United States should offer to protect Middle East countries from Iran if they forgo any nuclear ambitions of their own.

ILLINOIS DEMOCRATIC SEN. BARACK OBAMA

Obama has called for direct talks with Tehran to halt its nuclear program. He has said keeping Iran free of nuclear weapons would be one of his top priorities in the White House.

He has also said the United States would defend Israel in the event of any attack, nuclear or otherwise.

ARIZONA REPUBLICAN SEN. JOHN MCCAIN

McCain has accused Iran of training terrorists, including al Qaeda, to attack U.S. troops and supporting Lebanon's Shi'ite militant group Hezbollah. He says the United States could not accept a nuclear-armed Iran and backs much tougher financial and trade sanctions against Tehran in coordination with Washington's European allies.

(Compiled by Andy Sullivan, editing by Vicki Allen)

(To read more about the U.S. political campaign, visit Reuters "Tales from the Trail: 2008" online at blogs.reuters.com/trail08/)