Former U.S. Secretary of State Colin Powell said Sunday that North Korea and Iran would be committing suicide if they used nuclear weapons.

Powell, America's top diplomat from 2001-2005 in the administration of George W. Bush, made the remark on NBC's "Meet the Press" as he expressed support for the landmark nuclear deal that the administration of President Barack Obama struck with Iran.

"The North Korean deal was flawed from the 1994 original agreement all the way through, and after a while my view of North Korea was they really can never use a nuclear weapon without committing suicide," Powell said, referring to the first North Korean nuclear deal that ultimately fell apart as Pyongyang reneged on it.

"I think the same thing is true with Iran. If I was with the Iranians just like I've said to the North Koreans on a number of occasions you do realize that any use or anybody thinking you're going to use one of these, you are committing suicide because your capital and your society will be destroyed the next day," he said.

In July, the United States and five world powers and Iran reached the landmark deal that commits Tehran to curbing its nuclear program in return for the U.S. and others lifting economic sanctions that have stifled the Middle Eastern nation's economy.

The agreement, known as the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action, has been under tough scrutiny in the Republican-controlled Congress as the legislature has 60 days to review the agreement before endorsing or rejecting it.

But two-thirds of each house of Congress would be needed to scuttle the deal as Obama could veto a congressional resolution of disapproval.

"Now, people will say can't trust them. I don't trust them. I say we have a deal. Let's see how they implement the deal. If they don't implement it, bail out. None of our options are going. None of our options are going," Powell said.

"But this is something we ought to pursue and try to make it happen," he said. (Yonhap)