"Some Israeli non-government organisations envisage proposing aid to Iran," the sources told AFP, without going into detail.

Up to 6,000 people were killed Friday when a violent earthquake rocked the historic city of Bam in southeastern Iran, the provincial governor announced.

Israeli teams have solid experience in earthquake rescue operations, with workers having been despatched to help out in operations in countries including Nicaragua and Turkey.

But politically, tension is high between the two countries, with Israel viewing Iran as its main enemy following the fall of Saddam Hussein in Iraq.

Last month, Meir Dagan, head of Israel's Mossad overseas intelligence service, told lawmakers that Iran, which is developing a nuclear programme, posed the biggest threat to the existence of the Jewish state since its creation in 1948.

Israeli Defence Minister Shaul Mofaz was last Sunday quoted by Israel's Haaretz newspaper as saying the Jewish state is considering an operation to destroy the nuclear capabilities of Iran.

That threat brought the reaction from Iran's air force chief, General Seyed Reza Pardis, that an attack by Israel would be tantamount to the Jewish state "digging its own grave."

TERRA.WIRE