* Netanyahu takes to U.S. airwaves to make his case
* Israel sees shorter timeframe than ally Washington
* Remarks likely to stoke tensions with Obama
WASHINGTON/JERUSALEM, Sept 16 (Reuters) - Israeli Prime
Minister Benjamin Netanyahu warned on Sunday that Iran was just
six to seven months away from the brink of being able to build a
nuclear bomb, adding urgency to his demand that President Barack
Obama set a "red line" for Tehran in what could deepen the worst
U.S.-Israeli rift in decades.
Taking to the television airwaves to make his case directly
to the American public, Netanyahu said that by mid-2013 Iran
would be "90 percent of the way" toward enough enriched uranium
for a weapon. He again urged the United States to spell out
limits that Tehran must not cross if it is to avoid military
action - something Obama has refused to do.
"You have to place that red line before them now, before
it's too late," Netanyahu said on NBC's "Meet the Press"
program, adding that such a U.S. move could reduce the chances
of having to attack Iran's nuclear sites.
The unusually public dispute between close allies - coupled
with Obama's decision not to meet with Netanyahu later this
month - has exposed a gaping U.S.-Israeli divide and stepped up
pressure on the U.S. leader in the final stretch of a tight
presidential election campaign.
It was the clearest marker Netanyahu has laid down so far on
why he has become so strident in his push for Washington to
confront Tehran with a strict ultimatum. At the same time, his
approach could stoke further tensions with Obama, with whom he
has had a notoriously testy relationship.
U.S. officials say Iran has yet to decide on a nuclear
"breakout" - a final rush to assemble components for a bomb -
and they express high confidence it is still at least a year
away from the capacity to build one if it wanted to. This
contrasts with Netanyahu's timetable, although he stopped short
of saying Iran had decided to manufacture a weapon.
Netanyahu showed no signs of backing off and equated the
danger of a nuclear-armed Iran with the Islamist fury that
fueled attacks on U.S. embassies across the Muslim world last
week and shocked many Americans.
"It's the same fanaticism that you see storming your
embassies today. You want these fanatics to have nuclear
weapons?" Netanyahu asked in the NBC interview, in a clear
emotional appeal to Americans still reeling from the angry
protests sparked by a film that mocked the Prophet Mohammad.
There have been no accusations, however, of any Iranian role
stoking violence that hit Middle Eastern and African capitals.
'IN THE RED ZONE'
Speaking via satellite from Jerusalem, Netanyahu argued that
a credible U.S. ultimatum was needed to curb Iran, which denies
it is seeking a nuclear bomb.
"They're in the 'red zone,'" Netanyahu said, using an
American football metaphor for when a team is close to scoring a
touchdown. "You can't let them cross that goal line."
Susan Rice, Obama's U.N. envoy, offered no sign that Obama -
who has asked Netanyahu to hold off on any strike on Iran's
nuclear sites to give sanctions and diplomacy time to work -
intended to soften his resistance to red lines.
"We will take no option off the table to ensure that (Iran)
does not acquire a nuclear weapon, including a military option,"
Rice told "Meet the Press," reiterating Obama's longstanding
position but insisting "they are not there yet."
Israeli leaders, who see Iran's nuclear advances as a
looming threat, have made clear they are operating on a far
tighter window than the United States, with a superpower's
mighty conventional arsenal at its disposal.
Asked whether Israel was closer to acting on its own,
Netanyahu said: "We always reserve the right to act. But I think
that if we are able to coordinate together a common position, we
increase the chances that neither one of us will have to act."
Obama, seeking re-election in November, has faced criticism
from Republican rival Mitt Romney that the president is being
too tough with Israel and not tough enough with Iran.
But Netanyahu took a more neutral posture on the election,
denied he was meddling in U.S. politics in support of fellow
conservative Romney and distanced himself from the Republican's
accusation Obama was "throwing Israeli under the bus."
Netanyahu's sharpened rhetoric in recent days had stoked
speculation that Israel might attack Iran before the U.S.
election, believing that Obama would give it military help and
not risk alienating pro-Israeli voters.
Netanyahu has drawn criticism at home for overplaying his
hand. He faces divisions within the Israeli public and his
cabinet that will make it hard to launch a strike any time soon.
He said he appreciated Obama's assurances Iran would not be
allowed to obtain a nuclear weapon. But Netanyahu, whose "red
line" demands have infuriated U.S. officials, made clear that
was not enough. "I think a red line, in this case, works to
reduce the chances of the need for military action," he said.
MOVING RAPIDLY
In his most specific comments on Iran's nuclear work,
Netanyahu told CNN: "They're moving very rapidly to completing
the enrichment of the uranium that they need to produce a
nuclear bomb. In six months or so they'll be 90 percent of the
way there."
He appeared to be referring to Iran's enrichment of uranium
to 20 percent purity, a level it says is required for medical
isotopes but which also is close to bomb-fuel grade. According
to an August report by U.N. inspectors, Iran has stockpiled 91.4
kg of the 20 percent material.
Experts say about 200-250 kg (440-550 pounds) would be the
minimum required to enrich further into enough material for a
bomb, a threshold Iran could potentially reach soon by producing
roughly 15 kg (33 pounds) a month, a rate that could be speeded
up if it activates new uranium centrifuges.
Israeli Defense Minister Ehud Barak has warned that Iran may
be approaching a "zone of immunity" in which Israeli bombs would
be unable to penetrate buried facilities. The United States has
more potent weapons that could do the job.
Israel's concern is that Iran be prevented from reaching
nuclear weapons capability, not just from developing an actual
device, and they worry time is running out. Israel is widely
believed to possess the Middle East's only nuclear arsenal.
Deputy Prime Minister Dan Meridor told Israel Radio the
United States should not wait for Iran to decide on building a
bomb before it considers military action.
Netanyahu did not repeat his harsh comments of last week
that Washington had lost any "moral right" to restrain Israel
because it had refused to put strict U.S. limits on Tehran.
That was followed by word that Obama would not meet
Netanyahu during the Israeli leader's U.S. visit later this
month to address the United Nations - widely viewed as a snub.
Netanyahu played down the matter on Sunday, saying "our
schedules on this visit didn't work out."