Monday, 04 January 2021_Jake Sullivan, US President-elect Joe Biden's incoming national security adviser, says Iran's ballistic missile program should be included in any possible negotiations with the country - an issue categorically rejected by Tehran.
"President Biden has said that if Iran comes back into compliance with its terms under the nuclear deal … so that its program is back in a box then we would come back in, but that would become the basis for this follow-on negotiation," Sullivan told CNN.
He noted that talks around the Islamic Republic’s ballistic missile program would be part of the negotiations after Washington's return into the nuclear agreement, which outgoing President Donald Trump quit in 2018.
"Our view is that ballistic missiles, and Iran's ballistic missiles has to be on the table as part of that follow-on negotiation."
Sullivan also claimed that the talks can “go beyond just the permanent five members of the Security council" and that "involve regional players as well. And that in that broader negotiation, we can ultimately secure limits on Iran's ballistic missile technology."
His remarks come while Iranian President Hassan Rouhani stressed last week that the issue of Tehran's ballistic missile program is "non-negotiable", noting that Biden is "well aware of it".
Iran's Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif has also ruled out involving regional states in the nuclear negotiations after his Saudi counterpart made the suggestion last month.
In his remarks, Sullivan said the US assassination of Iran’s top anti-terror commander General Qasem Soleimani has not contributed to US interests in the Middle East.
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