Kerry says Hiroshima anniversary shows importance of Iran deal
US Secretary of State John Kerry said on Thursday the 70th anniversary of the US atomic bombing of the Japanese city of Hiroshima underscored the importance of a deal reached on Iran's nuclear programme last month.
Ceremonies were held in Hiroshima on Thursday to mark the anniversary of the world's first atomic bombing. The city's mayor, Kazumi Matsui, urged that nuclear weapons be abolished.
Asked before meeting Japanese Foreign Minister Fumio Kishida on the sidelines of a regional gathering in Malaysia whether he had any thoughts about the significance of the anniversary, Kerry replied:
"It is impossible not to have thoughts about it. I watched the ceremony ... Needless to say, it is a very, very powerful reminder of not just the impact of war lasting today on people and countries but it also underscores the importance of the agreement we have reached with Iran to reduce the possibility of more nuclear weapons."
Kerry said the anniversary also emphasised the importance of work by the United States with other countries, particularly Russia, to reduce the number of existing nuclear weapons.
