Raising the history of Hitler's buildup to war, U.S. Sen. Lindsey Graham, R-S.C., said Tuesday in Greenville that the response of the world over the coming weeks to Iran's nuclear ambitions will be critical.

Iran's lead negotiator said Tuesday his country is willing to enter "serious negotiation" over the future of its nuclear program but didn't say whether it would meet Western demands to halt nuclear enrichment, the key to producing weapons, The Associated Press reported.

Iranian leaders have said they will not abandon their right to nuclear weapons, but there were conflicting reports out of Tehran about the regime's intentions.

Graham said he is confident tough sanctions would bring Tehran around because the majority of Iranians are "sympathetic" to the West.

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He's less confident of a unified response by the West, Russia and China.

"My heart says it's a 10. My mind says it a four," he said.

Graham said the Iranian response means there is "a moment of great decision and choosing for the international community. I can't underestimate how important these next few weeks and months are."

He compared this "pivotal moment" to the 1920s and 1930s when the European nations looked the other way or appeased Hitler's fascist expansionism.

Without decisive action in the form of strong economic and diplomatic sanctions against Iran, Graham said, "the options available to Israel and the United States must include the possibility of military force."

While he said military force should be the last option, Graham added, "I cannot imagine a nuclear-armed Iran. It would create chaos for the whole world."

Graham said he is pleading with the U.N. Security Council to act decisively.

There isn't much time, either for sanctions to work or the West to procrastinate, Graham said, citing intelligence estimates of a three- to five-year span for an Iranian bomb to be ready.