Israel and Washington have publicly disagreed on the way forward in dealing with Iran's nuclear programme, which much of the international community believes masks a weapons drive, despite Tehran's denials.

Israel has insisted it will not rule out a unilateral military strike against Iranian nuclear facilities, sparking public statements from US officials cautioning against any such action.

Lieberman, speaking in Jerusalem, said discussions on the issue "should be held outside of the media," and criticised "public dialogues" on the subject.

But he insisted that the key alliance was still strong.

"There are differences, but the foundation of our relationship is firm, based on shared principles, personal and professional friendships," as well as "economic and scientific" collaboration, he said.

"The US was the first to stand by us in every international forum," he added. "Relations (with the US) will always be the cornerstone of our foreign relations, we will always make sure to retain the excellent relations with our best friend."

His comments came after sharply-worded statements from Netanyahu, which were widely interpreted as directed at the White House, in response to administration statements cautioning against unilateral Israeli military action.

"The world tells Israel: Wait, there's still time. And I say: wait for what? Wait until when?" Netanyahu said Tuesday.

"Those in the international community who refuse to put red lines before Iran don't have a moral right to place a red light before Israel," he said.

While Washington and Israel share suspicions over Iran's uranium enrichment activities, the United States has said diplomatic pressure, including tough sanctions, need to be given more time to work.

But Israel, the Middle East's sole if undeclared nuclear power, believes the window for effective military action that could set back Iran's programme is narrowing.

It has also warned that Tehran has been able to weather the sanctions and continue its uranium enrichment unabated.

"Uranium enrichment is still going on, and although sanctions are growing, Iranian leadership is still containing the pressure," Ronnie Bar-On, the head of the Israeli parliament's foreign affairs and defence committee, said Thursday.

"As a former finance minister, I can predict that for the next 12 months or so, Iran can contain the current level of economic sanctions. This makes their willingness to halt the enrichment process doubtful at best."

Bar-On warned that ignoring Iranian nuclear activity "is not an option for Israel and it is a complex issue with the potential for developing into an actual threat to Israel's existence."

"The last minute for statesmanship and foreign policy is also the last minute that something can be done to prevent the bomb and the bleak future it holds. The whole world needs to be alert, to see that this last minute does not pass."

Hollande made the comments in a telephone conversation with Israel's prime minister Wednesday, his office said.

Hollande stressed France's determination that Iran should suspend its controversial nuclear programme and respect UN Security Council resolutions on the issue, said the statement.

Netanyahu's line on the issue of Iran's nuclear programme has become noticeably sharper in recent days.

Over the past week, the Israeli leader has repeatedly driven home the need to draw a "clear red line" for Iran and make clear the consequences of crossing it, in what was widely interpreted as a criticism of Washington.

On Tuesday, he insisted that the international community could not ask Israel to keep waiting before acting against Iran if it had not laid down red lines to Tehran over its nuclear programme.

"The world tells Israel: Wait, there's still time. And I say: wait for what? Wait until when?," Netanyahu said.

On Tuesday, US President Barack Obama called Netanyahu to discuss the issue.

"It was a good phone conversation," Mark Regev, spokesman for Netanyahu told AFP Wednesday.

"The president and the prime minister agreed to work together. The common goal is to stop Iran's nuclear weapon program."

A US statement Tuesday said there was no rift over how to handle Iran, but left the impression Obama was irked at Netanyahu's rhetoric on a key foreign policy crisis weighing on his re-election hopes.

Netanyahu late Wednesday spoke with Canadian Prime Minister Stephen Harper and "thanked him for his decision to expel Iranian diplomats from his country and to withdraw Canada's representatives from Iran," the Israeli prime minister's office said in a statement.

"Your decision constitutes an example of leadership and morality. It is an example of the correct message that the international community needs to send to Iran," the prime minister said.

A British newspaper reported Wednesday that the head of Britain's foreign intelligence agency MI6 had visited Israel to warn Netanyahu against military action on Iran.

The Daily Mail said that John Sawers had gone to Israel around two weeks ago with a message from Prime Minister David Cameron urging Netanyahu to allow more time for a diplomatic solution.

Britain's Foreign Office, which has overall responsibility for MI6, said it would not comment on intelligence matters.

Russia and China on Wednesday joined Western powers in rounding on Iran at the UN atomic agency following the watchdog's latest damning report and the escalating spat between Israel and Washington.

The US, Russia, China, Britain, France and Germany managed after days of haggling to hammer out a resolution criticising Tehran, at a meeting of the International Atomic Energy Agency's board of governors in Vienna.

Israel, the Middle East's sole, if undeclared, nuclear power, says a nuclear Iran would constitute an existential threat for the Jewish state and has refused to rule out a military strike to prevent it from gaining such a capability.

Washington and much of the West also believe Iran is seeking a weapons capability under the guise of a civilian nuclear programme, a charge which Tehran denies.