Iran's Javad Zarif lashes out at John Kerry for 'military threat' over nuclear deal

Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif has lashed out at US Secretary of State John Kerry for "threatening" military action against Iran if the country fails to adhere to the nuclear deal.

Zarif's criticism comes as he tries to sell the 14 July Vienna agreement at home.

Zarif said in a statement that US authorities "have repeatedly admitted that these threats have no effect on the will of the people of Iran and that it will change the situation to their advantage. It's better for the Americans to forget their long-lasting habit and put aside the language of threat and sanctions against the great people of Iran once and for all".

Despite Zarif's attempt to remove misgivings over the deal, Iranian hardliners, including Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, continue to scorn the accord.

Zarif said: "Unfortunately the US secretary of state once again talked about the rotten rope of 'the ability of the US for using military force'."

Kerry told a Senate hearing: "If Iran fails to comply [with the deal]... we will be able to respond accordingly by re-instituting sanctions all the way up to the most draconian options that we have today. None of them are off the table at any point of time."

Defence Secretary Ashton Carter and other US officials have also not ruled out the military option to prevent Iran from getting nuclear weapons.