Gold rose for the first day in four in London and New York on speculation that an international conflict over Iran's nuclear program will escalate.


``We are getting ready for the next explosion in precious metal prices,'' said Puru Saxena, chief executive officer of Puru Saxena Ltd., his Hong Kong-based fund management company. Gold will be buoyed by ``a worsening of geopolitical conflicts, and tensions in the Middle East,'' Saxena said.

Gold futures for delivery in December rose $2, or 0.3 percent, to $630.50 at 12:24 p.m. on the Comex division of the New York Mercantile Exchange. A close at that price would leave gold up 1.6 percent for the week, the first gain in three weeks. Gold for immediate delivery rose 52 cents to $621.92 at 5:26 p.m. in London.

Gold, down 14 percent since reaching a 26-year high of $732 on May 12 in New York, has begun to rally in the past two months. Prices are up 16 percent since reaching a two-month low of $546.40 on June 14.

Bullion also got a boost today after an Aer Lingus flight from New York was diverted following a security alert. The plane was evacuated at Shannon Airport in Ireland today after police received a telephone call from an unidentified person, sparking a security alert.