World Bulletin / News Desk 

America's top general sought to reassure Israel on Tuesday of "unshakable" U.S. military support, despite deep strains in political relations over the prospect of a U.S.-led nuclear deal with Iran and differences over Israeli-Palestinian diplomacy.

U.S. General Martin Dempsey, on a visit to Israel, said he shared a core Israeli fear that sanctions relief for Iran following a nuclear agreement would allow Tehran to give more money to its military and its guerrilla proxies.

"My assessment is that I share their concern. If the deal is reached and results in sanctions relief ... it's my expectation that it's not all going to flow into their economy," he said.

"I think that they will invest in their surrogates. I think they will invest in additional military capability," Dempsey, the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, told a small group of reporters in Jerusalem.

Iran would likely spend some newfound resources on its military and its surrogates if a nuclear deal can be reached that leads to sanctions relief, General Martin Dempsey, the top U.S. military officer, said.

But Dempsey said the long-term prospects were "far better" with an Iran that wasn't a nuclear power and reassured Israeli officials that Washington would work to mitigate Iran-related risks, with or without a deal.

"If a deal is made, we've got work to do. If a deal is not made, we've got work to do," Dempsey told a small group of reporters in Jerusalem. "And I think we've built up enough trust and confidence in each other - military to military - that we're prepared to do that work."