"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 when 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 said the anniversary also emphasized the importance of work by the United States with other countries, particularly Russia, to reduce the number of existing nuclear weapons.
Under a July 14 pact with Iran, the United States and world powers agreed to lift sanctions in return for curbs on a nuclear program the West suspects was aimed at developing the means to build an atomic bomb.
The Republicans have objected to the deal as not tough enough and Congress has until September 17 to accept or reject the agreement.
The US bombing of Hiroshima, which killed 140,000 people by the end of 1945, was followed by the atomic bombing of Nagasaki on August 9, 1945, which killed about 40,000 instantly.
