Secretary of State John Kerry adamantly denounced a photo of a seven-year old Australian boy in the Middle East holding up a severed head for his terrorist father. The photo was published by Australian media. 

Kerry called it “one of the most disturbing, stomach-turning, grotesque photographs ever displayed.”

Kerry made his remarks during a press conference in Sydney, Australia with U.S. Secretary of Defense Chuck Hagel, Australian Foreign Minister Julie Bishop, and Australian Minister of Defense David Johnston.

Kerry reminded the audience of the gravity of the situation, and the growing violence in Iraq.