Speaking to reporters after talks with US Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice, the veteran Israeli statesman called Iran's Islamic regime "the greatest danger in our time."

"Unless there is a united policy to stp the Iranians from developing not only nuclear capacity, but also long-range missiles ... the danger of Iran will grow in size and scope and in time," Peres said.

Deflecting a question on whether Israel would use military force to keep Iran from developing a nuclear bomb, Peres said the Jewish state was content to let the United States and its allies spearhead a diplomatic fight.

But he warned that if the countries opposing Tehran are not on the same page and do not coordinate their policies, "the Iranians will make a mockery of every announced declaration by any party."

Peres spoke as Washington and the European Union sought to muster support for bringing Iran before the UN Security Council where it could face possible sanctions. But Russian and Chinese have been cool to the idea.

Acting Prime Minister Ehud Olmert warned Iran on Tuesday that Israel would not let it obtain weapons of mass destruction as an Israeli delegation headed to Moscow for talks on the crisis.

Israeli officials have played down the idea of a pre-emptive strike against Iran's nuclear facilities, like the one launched in Iraq in 1981.

But the outgoing head of military intelligence, Aharon Zeevi, said last month that such a move was "not impossible".

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