The Israeli delegation to the United Nations filed a formal complaint to the UN Security Council regarding Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad's comment that the "countdown button for the destruction of the Zionist regime has been pushed."

Following the comment, Foreign Ministry officials instructed the delegation to address UN chief Ban Ki-moon and the head of the UN Security Council and present them with the Iranian president's remarks.

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The delegation has demanded that the Security Council condemn the remarks.

Earlier Wednesday, Israel's ambassador to the United States Sallai Meridor said that Iran had "not yet crossed the threshold of being able to make nuclear weapons but might be no more than two years away."

"I really think they are on the verge of getting the genie out of the bottle and leaving our children with a nightmare," the Israeli envoy said at a news conference held at the private Council on Foreign Relations think tank.

Meridor said Iran was having trouble with the process of installing centrifuges to get them spinning and was trying to decide between quantity and quality in its program.

"2009 is the worst-case scenario to have the bomb," Meridor said, while renewing an Israeli vow to try to derail any nuclear weapons program.

"They are not there yet," he said.

Iran insists its program is designed to produce civilian energy. It has
resisted Western offers of diplomatic and economic benefits if it would
suspend enrichment programs.

The latest report from the UN nuclear agency saying Iran was still refusing to suspend uranium enrichment has set the stage for an attempt by the United States and its allies to impose tough economic sanctions against Iran.

Meridor said Iran was susceptible to economic pressure because it was
dependent on foreign investment, but, apparently referring to President
Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, he said, "the world continues to fund this madman."

If economic and diplomatic pressure should fail, Meridor threatened action by Israel. "An option is on the table, and they will not be allowed to have nuclear weapons," he said.

Asked to elaborate on what actions Israel might be considering, the ambassador said, "I hope you will forgive me for not sharing that."