ATLANTA (EJP)--- “We will prevent Iran from acquiring a nuke by whatever means necessary,” US Vice President Joe Biden said Tuesday in an address at the 1,600 rabbi-strong international Rabbinical Assembly Convention in Atlanta.

He spoke on issues such as the U.S-Israel relationship, the military cooperation between the two countries and the Obama Administration’s commitment to Israel’s security. 

Biden expressed his concern about the international assault attempting to delegitimize Israel as a Jewish state, saying, "I’m more worried about Israel today than I have been any time in my career, because it’s a different struggle."

"The U.S. policy under Barack Obama is not one of containment. It is straightforward. We will prevent Iran from acquiring a nuke by whatever means necessary," he said.

"If Israel made the conclusion that Iran was close to becoming nuclear, we would not tell them what to do.”

He refuted criticism that the Obama administration has lessened the United States'typically staunch support of Israel."At every point in our administration, at every juncture, we have stood up for the legitimacy of the state of Israel."

"I'm proud of our record," he said. "No president since Harry Truman has done more for Israel's physical security than Barack Obama."

He warned that the window of opportunity for peacefully resolving the standoff over Iran's nuclear program was closing "in the near term."

He mentioned Iran's internal struggles among factions within the country's leadership structure as well as dissent against the government and  prophesied a country without current President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad.

"The dissension between Ahmadinejad and the supreme leader is palpable. They will not both be around two years from now, and my bet is that Ahmadinejad is gone," he said.

He said Europe's embargo on oil imports from Iran, due to begin July 1 "will have a devastating impact on the Iranian economy and force them to think even harder."

"We're not doing anything but tightening the screws," Biden added. "Unless Iran changes course, the pressure will keep increasing."