WASHINGTON: The United States believes Iran is a year or a more away from being able to produce a nuclear weapon, President Barack Obama said in an interview with the Associated Press released on Saturday, describing the estimate as “conservative.”

“Our assessment continues to be a year or more away, and in fact, actually our estimate is probably more conservative than the estimates of Israeli intelligence services,” Obama said in reply to a question about the US intelligence assessment on Iran’s timetable for nuclear weapons.

Obama has directed US officials to try to work out an agreement with Iran to end its nuclear program, an opportunity he has said is worth exploring after the election of the relatively moderate Iranian President Hassan Rowhani.

Obama and Rowhani spoke by telephone a week ago, the highest-level contact between the two countries in three decades.

“I think Rowhani has staked his position on the idea that he can improve relations with the rest of the world,” Obama said.

Israel publicly warned last week that new Iranian uranium centrifuges could give Israel the ability to produce bomb fuel “within weeks.” Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has dismissed Rowhani’s overtures as a ruse. Obama said he understands why Israel is skeptical, but said he wants to test whether Rowhani can “follow through.”

“The way the Iranian system works, he’s not the only decision maker. He’s not even the ultimate decision maker,” Obama said.

The US, Israel and other countries accuse Iran of using its nuclear program to try to develop the capability to produce weapons. Iran says the program is peaceful.