US National Security Adviser John Bolton, speaking after
the United States increased sanctions against Iranian officials, said
Washington was still willing to talk to Iran.
“The president has held the door open to real
negotiations to completely and verifiably eliminate Iran’s nuclear weapons
program, its ballistic missile delivery systems, its support for international
terrorism and other malign behavior worldwide,” Bolton said in Jerusalem. “All
that Iran needs to do is to walk through that open door.”
The United States backed out of the 2015
international agreement curbing Iran’s nuclear program in May last year. Iran
denies it is trying to build nuclear weapons.
U.S. President Donald Trump on Monday targeted
Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei and other Iranian officials with
sanctions, increasing pressure on Iran after Iranian forces shot down an
unmanned American drone.
Iran’s ambassador to the United Nations, Majid
Takht Ravanchi, told reporters on Monday that Iran would not agree to talks with
the United States while it is under the threat of sanctions.
Iran’s Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif,
responding to the sanctions said hawkish politicians close to Trump “despise
diplomacy, and thirst for war”.
Bolton was speaking at the start of a meeting
with his Israeli and Russian counterparts that was expected to focus on Iran
and Syria.