MOSCOW , Russia ( CNN ) -- The United States is `` absolutely not '' giving Israel a green light to attack Iran , U.S. President Barack Obama told CNN Tuesday . President Obama meets Tuesday with Russian Prime Minister Vladimir Putin near Moscow . `` We have said directly to the Israelis that it is important to try and resolve this in an international setting in a way that does not create major conflict in the Middle East , '' Obama said , referring to Iran 's nuclear ambitions . Obama has been in Moscow for a summit aimed at trying to reset the U.S.-Russian relationship . On Sunday , U.S. Vice President Joe Biden appeared to leave the door open for Israel to attack Iran if it saw fit . `` Israel can determine for itself -- it 's a sovereign nation -- what 's in their interest and what they decide to do relative to Iran and anyone else , '' Biden said on ABC 's `` This Week . '' Obama said Tuesday that Biden had simply been stating a fact , not sending a signal . `` I think Vice President Biden stated a categorical fact , which is we ca n't dictate to other countries what their security interests are . What is also true is that it is the policy of the United States to resolve the issue of Iran 's nuclear capabilities in a peaceful way through diplomatic channels , '' he said . Watch CNN 's Ed Henry interview President Obama » . The top U.S. military leader , Adm. Mike Mullen , said later on Tuesday that he understands Israel 's position . `` The Israelis see Iran achieving a nuclear capability as an existential threat , and that fact is tied to the rhetoric of the leadership of Iran , which ... has said that they would seek to eliminate Israel , '' said Mullen , the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff . His counterparts in the Gulf also understand the Israeli stance , whether or not they agree , Mullen said . `` That gets back to the criticality ... of solving this before Iran gets a nuclear capability , or that anyone ... would take action to strike them . And I think that window is a very narrow window , '' he said in a speech at the Center for Strategic and International Studies in Washington . He said he hoped diplomacy would resolve the issue . `` I am hopeful that that dialogue is productive . I worry about it a great deal if it 's not , '' Mullen said . The State Department took a similar line on Monday . `` Our goal here is to prevent Iran from obtaining nuclear weapons . When I say 'our ' it is just not the United States -- it is the international community , '' spokesman Ian Kelly said . `` Israel is a sovereign country . We are not going to dictate its actions . We also are committed to Israel 's security and we share Israel 's deep concerns about Iran 's nuclear program . '' Asked if this could be interpreted as the United States flashing a green light for Israel to attack Iran 's nuclear sites , Kelly said , `` I certainly would not want to give a green light to any kind of military action . '' The Israeli government considers Iran 's nuclear program to be the dominant threat facing the country . CNN White House Correspondent Ed Henry in Moscow and CNN 's Emily Sherman in Washington contributed to this report .
President Obama says U.S. `` absolutely not '' giving Israel go-ahead to attack Iran . Israel is concerned about Israel 's nuclear ambitions . Vice President Biden on Monday appeared to leave door open for Israel to attack Iran . U.S. needs to find way not to `` create major conflict in Gulf , '' Biden says .