Jim Webb became the first 2016 Democratic presidential candidate to criticize the Obama administration's nuclear deal with Iran, saying "at this point I would be very skeptical if I were still in the Senate."

"I am concerned principally that this might actually increase the imbalance in the balance of power in the region," Webb said during an NPR interview on Wednesday.

Webb is the only combat veteran running for president in 2016. He is also the most conservative Democrat running, having previously served as a secretary of the navy in the Ronald Reagan administration. He served a single term in the Senate representing Virginia.

Just hours after the deal was released on Tuesday. Webb provided a statement lauding the agreement as "an important moment in terms of the future of American policy," but saying that he needed to read the full text closely to reach his final conclusion.

Fellow Democratic competitors Hillary Clinton, Martin O'Malley and Bernie Sanders all expressed cautious approval of the deal Tuesday. Webb stressed the importance of making sure the restrictions placed on Iran are met with follow-through.

"As I am reading through the documents I say to myself, 'What does Iran get of this?' They get a lot out of this," Webb stated. "They get immediate lifting of sanctions. After a period of about ten years they are going to be able to say that they can move forward with a nuclear weapons policy with our acceptance."

He added, "We are moving the cart before the horse in terms of improving relations with Iran."

The Republican-turned-Democratic presidential hopeful also criticized the Obama administration's lack of consensus on pushing through the deal, saying that it should have been voted on in Congress. He further cautioned against the Middle Eastern superpower's growing control in the region during the years following the Iraq war.