Democratic presidential candidate Barack Obama said on Wednesday Iran posed a "grave" danger in the Middle East and vowed to stop it from acquiring a nuclear weapon.

"The danger from Iran is grave, it is real, and my goal will be to eliminate this threat," Obama said in a speech to a conference of the American Israel Public Affairs Committee. "I will do everything in my power to prevent Iran from obtaining a nuclear weapon; everything," he said to a standing ovation. (Reuters)