Yuli Edelstein addressing The Algemeiner 'Jewish 100' Gala. Photo: Sarah Rogers.

The speaker of Israel’s Knesset Yuli Edelstein called on world powers not to equivocate about Iran’s nuclear program and to take action before the Islamic Republic succeeds in passing the nuclear threshold like North Korea.

“We better act now because the truth is that Iran is getting dangerously close to [having] nuclear weapons,” Edelstein said on Tuesday, upon accepting the ‘Warrior for Truth’ Award at The Algemeiner‘s ‘Jewish 100’ Gala in New York City. “And the truth is that we can say about North Korea whatever we want but we cannot do much. Because there was an interesting discussion about North Korea having nukes or not having nukes; using it for peaceful purposes or probably using them for military purposes. Now the answers are there, but our ability to act – ‘our’ meaning the world – is not there anymore.”

Edelstein also told the audience at the star-studded event, which drew a crowd of 500 to the Capitale on Bowery, that it is hard to believe the claim that Iran will use its nuclear resources for peaceful purposes.

“It’s a little bit difficult to understand the shortage of energy in a country like Iran, that they urgently need some other sources of energy there,” Edelstein said.

Other honorees at the event included philanthropists Joseph and Deborah Aronow, late entertainer Joan Rivers and business tycoon Donald Trump.

Watch Edelstein’s speech in the video below: