Jake Sullivan, former U.S. National Security Advisor, said the recent attacks by Israel and the U.S. on Iran will have little impact unless diplomacy resumes—if Tehran agrees to negotiate again. Sullivan, now a professor of “The Art of Governance and Global Order” at Harvard, served as National Security Advisor under Joe Biden from 2021 to 2025 and held key roles in the Obama administration.
In this interview, Sullivan noted that Trump’s sole aim was a “better deal than the JCPOA,” but he lacked a clear vision for its details, pushing for the complete dismantlement of Iran’s nuclear program. Sullivan highlighted that the JCPOA allowed Iran limited nuclear capacity for civilian purposes under IAEA oversight, but Trump demanded no nuclear capabilities, particularly zero uranium enrichment within Iran.
Netanyahu Capitalized on Trump’s Stance
Sullivan acknowledged Iran’s right to uranium enrichment under the NPT, pursued under IAEA regulations, but said Trump’s rejection of this right caused a deadlock. He noted that Netanyahu exploited this, convincing Trump to abandon negotiations, despite Iran engaging in talks with the U.S. before the attack.
Sullivan warned that Iran retains enriched uranium stockpiles and centrifuges, capable of reactivating its nuclear program. Critically, Iran now denies IAEA inspectors access to its facilities. He stated, “If we apply the same criteria used for a deal to military action, unresolved issues remain, especially continuous, reliable monitoring to ensure Iran’s program stays non-weaponized.”
Sullivan emphasized diplomacy as the best path but noted Trump’s unclear stance and Iran’s reluctance to negotiate post-attack, especially since Tehran was on a diplomatic path before. On Trump’s claim that attacking Iran enhances U.S. security, Sullivan argued diplomacy yields greater results. Iran retains technical know-how and now has stronger motivation for nuclear deterrence. He also cautioned that Tehran may seek retaliation for the recent attacks.
