Israeli President Shimon Peres said Saturday "an attack on Iran" by Israel and other countries was "more and more likely."
He said the international community is closer to pursuing a military option to deal with Iran's nuclear program than it is to finding a diplomatic solution to the threat.
In an interview with Israel’s channel 2 TV in Cyprus where he was on an official visit, Peres said world leaders need to "fulfill their promises'' to stop Iran.
"It would seem that Iran is getting closer to having nuclear weapons," Peres said, adding, "In the time that remains, we must urge the other nations of the world to act, and tell them that it is time to stand behind the promise that was made to us, to fulfill their responsibility, whether that means serious sanctions or whether it means a military operation."
Israeli Defence Minister Ehud Barak said this week, "We can't remove any option from the table, but there is no immediate emergency. Our position has not changed and will not change, we believe that Iran must be prevented from achieving nuclear weapons capability."
On Thursday, US President Barack Obama said Iran's nuclear program poses a "continuing threat" and called for a need to maintain "unprecedented international pressure" on Tehran to meet its nuclear obligations.
The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) is due to release soon a report on Iran's nuclear program.
Israel held an emergency civil defense drill Thursday, mimicking a foreign missile attack, as Israeli media reports speculated on the possibility of an Israeli strike against Iran's nuclear facilities.
Israel test-fired a missile Wednesday that Israeli media said was capable of carrying a nuclear warhead. There were also reports of an Israeli air force exercise over the Mediterranean Sea.
On Wednesday, Haaretz newspaper reported that Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Defence Minister Ehud Barak were seeking to win cabinet support for a strike on Iran, which Israel and the West suspect is looking to build an atomic bomb.
A poll published by the same newspaper found Israeli public opinion divided on a strike against Iran's nuclear facilities, with 41 percent in favour, 39 percent opposed and 20 percent undecided.