US Defense Secretary Ashton Carter. (Photo: Xinhua)
(VOVworld) – US security officials raised their voices on Wednesday defended the just-concluded nuclear deal between the P5+1 group and Iran, but said the US military will maintain a strong presence in the Middle East to contain Iran’s influence.
Speaking at a public hearing of the Senate Armed Services Committee, US Defense Secretary Ashton Carter called the agreement that was reached in Vienna "a good deal," saying that it would remove a source of threat and uncertainty in "a comprehensive and verifiable way" by preventing Iran from getting a nuclear weapon.
According to US security officials, successful implementation of a nuclear deal is better than military solutions, which are only temporary and cannot make Iran give up its nuclear ambition.
Mr. Carter reassured lawmakers’ concerns, saying the US military will maintain a strong presence in the Middle East, protect Israel, repel the Islamic State (IS), and act as a bulwark to curb Iran’s influence.