Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu began his meeting with Stephen Harper in Ottawa on Friday with a public declaration that Iran poses a “grave threat” to global security — adding that Israel is prepared to “defend” itself if necessary.

“The warnings that I and others have been giving over the years will materialize unless Iran is stopped. And that’s why I say the international community must do everything it can to stop it. And the danger is not only to Israel — it is obviously a danger to Israel — but I think it’s a danger to the whole world,” Mr. Netanyahu said.

The Israeli Prime Minister arrived in Canada against a backdrop of growing fears that Israel could unilaterally strike suspect Iranian nuclear facilities to delay or destroy that country’s nuclear capabilities.

“They hang gays, they stone women. This what they’re doing today without nuclear weapons and imagine what a regime like this would do if they had atomic weapons,” Mr. Netanyahu said.