Joe Biden to bring U.S. back to Middle East through Iran deal

U.S. President-elect Joe Biden, in an interview published by The New York Times, confirmed his readiness to work on the return of the United States to the Iran nuclear deal.

"It won't be easy, but yes," he answered the relevant question. The future administration plans, "in consultation with our allies and partners" to engage in negotiations and follow-on agreements to tighten and lengthen Iran’s nuclear constraints," as well as address Iran's missile program, Biden said. The U.S. always has the option to snap back sanctions if need be, and Iran knows that, he added.

"Look, there’s a lot of talk about precision missiles and all range of other things that are destabilizing the region," Biden said. But the fact is, "the best way to achieve getting some stability in the region” is to deal “with the nuclear program."

If Iran gets a nuclear bomb, he added, it puts enormous pressure on the Saudis, Turkey, Egypt and others to get nuclear weapons themselves. "And the last goddamn thing we need in that part of the world is a buildup of nuclear capability," Biden concluded.