Story highlights "The whole reason we're looking at this Iran agreement is because of North Korea," Haley said

She said the US would stay in the deal for now

Washington (CNN) US ambassador Nikki Haley said Sunday the Trump administration's approach to the Iran deal is aimed at avoiding another situation like in North Korea.

"What we're saying now with Iran is don't let it become the next North Korea," the US ambassador to the United Nations said in an interview on NBC's "Meet the Press."

President Donald Trump's declaration that Iran was violating the multilateral nuclear agreement and his threat that the US could exit it sent a message that North Korea should not expect the US to make a bad deal, Haley said.

Trump's threat to pull the US out of the deal with Iran, potentially collapsing the Obama-era agreement, was also intended to pressure North Korea as that nation continues to develop its nuclear weapons and ballistic missile capabilities.

"The whole reason we're looking at this Iran agreement is because of North Korea," Haley said.

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