U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry sought to pacify Israeli worries over an emerging nuclear deal with Iran in an interview aired Sunday, dismissing some concerns as brought on by �hysteria� over the possible agreement.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has been one of the harshest critics the U.S.-led framework deal with the Islamic Republic, which offers it sanctions relief in exchange for scaling back its contested nuclear program.

Israel considers a nuclear-armed Iran an existential threat, citing hostile Iranian rhetoric toward the Jewish state, Iran�s missile capabilities and its support for violent militant groups. Iran says its nuclear program is for peaceful purposes.

Speaking to Israel�s Channel 10 television, Kerry said the deal wouldn�t affect American options to counter any possible effort by Iran to build atomic weapons.

�I say to every Israeli that today we have the ability to stop them if they decided to move quickly to a bomb and I absolutely guarantee that in the future we will have the ability to know what they are doing so that we can still stop them if they decided to move to a bomb,� Kerry said.

Netanyahu believes the potential deal leaves intact too much of Iran�s contested nuclear program, including research facilities and advanced centrifuges capable of enriching uranium, a key ingredient in building an atomic bomb.

�We will have inspectors in there every single day; that is not a 10-year deal that is forever,� Kerry said. �There is a lot of hysteria about this deal.�

Netanyahu�s criticism has contributed to rising tensions between him and President Barack Obama.

�We think there needs to be a different deal, a better deal, and there are those that tell us this won�t endanger Israel,� Netanyahu said Sunday during a visit by U.S. Sen. Rob Portman, R-Ohio. �I must say as prime minister of Israel, who is responsible for Israel�s security � this does endanger Israel.�

(AP)