US wants 'full dismantlement' of Iran's nuclear program: Trump's adviser

WASHINGTON

The US is seeking the "full dismantlement" of Iran's nuclear program, White House National Security Adviser Mike Waltz said Sunday.

"Full dismantlement. Iran has to give up its program in a way that the entire world can see," Waltz told the CBS News program Face the Nation.

His remarks came after President Donald Trump sent a letter to Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei earlier this month seeking a deal that would prevent Tehran from possessing nuclear capabilities.

Khamenei dismissed Trump’s remarks, saying "the claim by the US president that they are ready to negotiate is a deception of world public opinion.”

"As President Trump has said, this is coming to a head. All options are on the table and it is time for Iran to walk away completely from its desire to have a nuclear weapon," Waltz said.

If they had nuclear weapons, the entire Middle East would explode in an arms race, he argued, adding: "That is completely unacceptable to our national security."

He also warned Iran, saying: "Give it up, or there will be consequences."

In 2018, then-President Trump unilaterally withdrew the US from the 2015 Iran nuclear deal and reimposed sanctions on Tehran.

Despite complying with the nuclear agreement for over a year after the US withdrawal, Iran gradually reduced its commitments, citing the failure of the deal’s remaining signatories to protect its interests.