Israeli Ambassador to the US Ron Dermer has criticised Republican presidential candidate Mike Huckabee for saying that President Barack Obama was using the Iran deal to march Israelis “to the door of the oven”.

“These are not words that I would use or that I think are appropriate,” Mr Dermer said in an interview this week.

Since the deal with Iran was announced , the Israeli ambassador has been trying to convince Congress to oppose the deal. However, he has said he does not doubt that the US government believes this is the best deal for Israel. As such, he rejects Mr Huckabee’s approach to Mr Obama.

“What I don't doubt is the sincerity of the president or his team when they say they believe this deal not only makes America safe but makes Israel safe,” he said.

Meanwhile, Mr Huckabee told the Today show that “the response from Jewish people” to his likening the Iran deal to the Holocaust “has been overwhelmingly positive”.

Mr Dermer has met with Democratic Party legislators who he said were attentive to Israel’s complaints about the Iran deal.

"We appreciate the support that we have gotten from this administration, from this president, to enhance our security," he said. "And the discussion that we'll have about the day after, we'll have to leave to the day after."