'Like a Family': US Reaffirm Commitment to Europe, NATO Amid Dispute Over Iran

MOSCOW (Sputnik) - Members of the US Congress, including Speaker of the House of Representatives Nancy Pelosi, have reiterated, during a visit to Brussels, that the United States is committed to the transatlantic partnership, NATO and Europe.

"We began our visit in Munich, where around 10 percent of the Congress was present, Democrats and Republicans, members of the House, members of the Senate. All of them here, reaffirming our commitment to the transatlantic Alliance, our commitment to NATO, our respect for the European Union," Pelosi told a press conference.

READ MORE: Merkel Warns of the Dangers of American Isolationism in Munich Speech — Scholar

Moreover, Chairman of the House Committee on Foreign Affairs Eliot Engel also commented on the issue stressing that the transatlantic alliance was "strong… and doing well."

"Like in a family, there are ups and downs, and disagreements, and whatever, but we are of the same family. We share the same world view," Engel said.

One more speaker, Adam Schiff, the chairman of the House Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence, stressed that the delegation's aim was to reaffirm US commitment to NATO, Europe and the European Union.

"Whatever differences we have are transient… We came to talk about our commitment to democracy, our commitment to human rights, the necessity that we stand together in the face of the threat posed by Russia and others," Schiff said.

Other members of the delegation similarly reiterated US support for the transatlantic partnership, and the statements of support come amid EU-US differences on some major issues, such as the Iran nuclear deal.

However, the Munich Security Conference held this weekend in Germany demonstrated some of the contentious points in the EU-US relationship.

US Vice President Mike Pence used his speech at the conference in Munich to urge allies to give up on the nuclear deal with Iran. The European Union has repeatedly expressed its commitment to the agreement with Tehran despite Washington's departure. It has set up a special mechanism to bypass US sanctions and keep trading with Iran.

In addition, there have been trade tensions between Europe and the United States; the US Department of Commerce has reportedly been investigating whether car imports constitute a national security threat. In a speech in Munich, German Chancellor Angela Merkel criticized the potential US move against imports that might concern German vehicles.