BEIJING, Jan. 25 (Xinhuanet) -- senator, John Kerry, has told the Senate Foreign Relations Committee that must be prevented from obtaining nuclear weapons. Kerry was speaking before the committee at his confirmation hearing for the post of Secretary of State.

Obama nominated the Massachusetts senator to succeed as the country’s top diplomat last month. The decision came after Susan Rice, the US ambassador to the , withdrew from consideration.

Kerry is expected to sail through the confirmation process and could start his new job early next month. In his opening remarks for the hearing, he said it is vital that the United States confronts the threat from Iran’s nuclear program.

Senator John Kerry said, "The world is well aware that we face a number of immediate, dangerous challenges, particularly in the Middle East and South Central Asia. Given our extraordinary interest in non-proliferation, we must resolve the questions surrounding Iran’s nuclear program. The President has made it definitive. We will do what we can to prevent Iran from obtaining a nuclear weapon. I repeat here today: our policy is not containment, it is prevention, and the clock is ticking on our efforts to secure responsible compliance." 

(Source: CNTV.cn)