US Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin has vowed to do everything possible to prevent Iran from acquiring nuclear weapons and to counter the dangerous use of its suicide drones in the Middle East.
According to the AP News Agency, the remarks came at a time when talks on a nuclear deal with Tehran's world powers have stalled.
During the annual Manama Dialogue in Bahrain, some remarks by the US Secretary of Defense surfaced yesterday aimed at reassuring US Gulf Arab allies that the Biden administration was seeking to restore the nuclear deal, which has led to economic sanctions. In exchange for the removal, Iran's uranium enrichment was limited.His remarks came as the Gulf states watched the withdrawal of US troops from Afghanistan, raising concerns about US involvement in the region.
Following the withdrawal, US defense officials say they want to focus on defending China and Russia.
Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin said the United States is committed to preventing Iran from acquiring nuclear weapons and that we are working for a diplomatic solution to the nuclear issue.
"If Iran is not willing to negotiate seriously, we will consider all necessary options for the protection of the United States," Austin told a ceremony hosted by the International Institute for Strategic Studies.It should be noted that Iran has long declared its nuclear program peaceful, while the US intelligence agencies and the International Atomic Energy Agency say that Tehran had a well-organized weapons program until 2003.
Meanwhile, Iran's mission to the United Nations did not immediately respond to a request for comment from the US Secretary of Defense on Saturday.
"Our potential goals include what role our allies can play for us and what we have anticipated so that we can act quickly," Austin said in a statement.
"Both our friends and our enemies know that the United States can deploy a heavy force at any time and place," he said.
