A US megachurch pastor has denied claims he believes the Bible predicts America will be wiped out in a nuclear attack by North America.

Greg Laurie, head of the 15,000-member Harvest Christian Fellowship in Riverside, California, has hit back at UK newspaper the Daily Express,

which quoted him as saying: 'Here is what concerns me. We do not find the reigning superpower on the face of the Earth anywhere in the Last Days scenario. Other nations emerge.

'So where is America? I pray we are not out of the picture, because we have been in some kind of nuclear conflict.'

Laurie says in a video quoted by the Express: 'In the Last Days there is no mention of any nation that would resemble North Korea. However the Bible does speak of Iran in the End Times scenario.

'You might be surprised to know there is an alignment of sorts between North Korea and Iran. In fact, former ambassador the United Nations John Bolton recently said if North Korea developed a delivery system for nuclear weapon Iran would have it the next day simply by writing a cheque.'

However, Laurie posted on Facebook: 'Fake News Alert!

'I never said "US to be wiped out by North Korea in nuclear war." I said North Korea COULD attack us, and of course that is potentially true, at least at this moment. The Bible does not mention the USA or North Korea in the end times scenario. I am simply calling believers to pray and take this all seriously. I never said "The prophecy was revealed to me after I read the Bible." If you listen to my message in this link, it's clear what I said.'