"I think he is a man of values. He is a man that I respect his words. And he is a man that thinks before he speaks," Peres told CNN on Tuesday.
Related stories:
- Photo: AP
Addressing the American leader's assessment, Peres told CNN "I do believe that the United States is following carefully the time and the progress.
"So a year is an estimation. If something were to happen earlier, I am sure we will pay attention to the change," he said.
Welcoming Obama (Video: US Embassy)
- Asked if he believed Tehran viewed the White House "all options" approach as serious, Peres said: "That I am not sure. I am not sure whether the relations between Iran and the truth are so intimate. I think they are capable of bluffing others and bluffing themselves."
The Israeli president played down disagreements between US and Israeli intelligence assessments of Iran's progress toward a nuclear bomb.
"There may be some differences in timing, but basically we support the policy of the president of the United States," Peres said.
Obama told Channel 2 that Iran is "not yet at the point I think where they've made a fundamental decision to get right with the international community, but I do think that they're recognizing that there's a severe cost for them to continue on the path that they're on and that there's another door open."