Jerusalem/Washington - Israeli President Shimon Peres expressed Saturday his concern about Iran's nuclear plans and insisted on a policy of "prevention and not just of inspection" to stop Iran from gaining nuclear weapons.

In an interview in the Washington Post, Peres said "I'm a little bit worried because the policy should be of prevention, not just of inspection, to prevent the building of a bomb."

"Later on to inspect the procedure of enriching uranium will be very, very difficult, particularly when the Iranians are extremely economical about telling the truth," the Israeli president added.

Israel has expressed its opposition to the proposal presented by International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) chief Mohamed ElBaradei to Iran, under wich Iran would be allowed to send most of its low- enriched uranium abroad for processing.

While the draft deal has already been approved by Russia, US and France, Teheran has posponed its formal reply until next week.

The interview comments appeared as an IAEA team of inspectors was departing for Tehran for a first look at Iran's recently-disclosed new nuclear site. (dpa)