Secretary of State John Kerry said on Thursday the US atomic bombing of Hiroshima underscored the importance of the Iran nuclear deal and disarmament in general, as Japan marked the attack’s 70th anniversary. “Needless to say, it’s a very, very powerful reminder of not just the impact of war in a lasting way on people, on countries, but it also underscores the importance of the agreement we reached with Iran to reduce the possibility of more nuclear weapons,” Kerry said.
“And the United States and other countries are working to move to — particularly Russia (and) the United States, with our agreement — to reduce the number of existing nuclear weapons.”
The agreement would give Iran relief from sanctions in exchange for curbs on its nuclear program, which Washington long believed was cover for building a bomb.
Tens of thousands of people gathered on Thursday in Hiroshima to commemorate the atomic bombing that helped end World War II but still divides opinion today over whether the total destruction it caused was justified.