Kerry to US Jews: Iran won't get nuclear bomb

US secretary of state addresses JDC 100th anniversary celebration; vows Israel's security "absolutely fundamental" to US policy.

John Kerry (photo credit: Reuters)
John Kerry
(photo credit: Reuters)
US Secretary of State John Kerry vowed on Monday that Iran would not acquire nuclear weapon.

Speaking at the American Jewish Joint Distribution Committee (JDC) Centennial Celebration, Kerry emphasized that security of Israel is important for the US.

"United States has long viewed Israel security as absolutely fundamental to our own," Kerry said, reaffirming the audience that the United States would not let Iran to acquire nuclear weapon.

"We will not allow Iran to acquire a nuclear weapon, not now and not ever, and I promise you that. I know that some people are apprehensive and wonder, you know...that we somehow stumbled into something or created something that in fact Iranians pull all over our eyes and we do not know what we are doing," Kerry addressed the audience.

"I can't stand here today and tell you that Iranians are going to do what they need to do, but I do know that Israel is actually safer today that it was before we made the deal," he continued.

In late November J Street, a key Jewish political organization in the US, voiced its support for the international agreement with Iran after Tehran and six world powers clinched the deal to curb the Iranian nuclear program in exchange for limited sanctions relief.