BRUSSELS

NATO reaffirmed its commitment to strengthening the credibility, effectiveness, and security of its nuclear deterrence, the alliance said in a statement on Friday.

The NATO High Level Group, the senior advisory board to the alliance's Nuclear Planning Group, convened in Brussels on Wednesday to discuss the credibility, effectiveness, safety, and security of NATO's nuclear deterrence "in light of the evolving security environment."

"Allies underscored the importance of NATO's nuclear burden sharing and discussed approaches to safeguarding Alliance security through NATO’s nuclear posture," the statement said, underlining the continued importance of collaborative decision-making in maintaining collective security.

The meeting, chaired by NATO High Level Group Chair Robert Soofer, included exercises in the consultative process.

In recent weeks, the US has reinforced its military presence in the Persian Gulf and signaled the possibility of military action to pressure Iran to abandon its nuclear and missile programs and curb "its regional allies."

Tehran has accused Washington and Israel of fabricating pretexts for intervention and regime change, and has warned it would respond to any military attack, even if limited, while insisting that sanctions relief must accompany any restrictions on its nuclear program.