Ex-White House Official: Iran will not negotiate under U.S sanctions

In an exclusive interview with ILNA news agency, the Princeton University professor said, "Growing tensions in the Middle East is dangerous. U.S president wants to negotiate and to reach an agreement with Iran but only wants to sign a new one himself."

"Trump must know that it will be very difficult to build trust with the Iranians and sign news agreement with Tehran."

Referring to Trump's "maximum pressure" strategy against Iran and said "These pressures have been ineffective and we do not see any change in Iranian policies."

He criticized US sanctions and added "In fact, Iran will not negotiate under the threat of economic sanctions but Iranian people is only the main victims of these policies."

Ex-White House Official pointed to Emmanuel Macron's efforts and said "The French president wants to buy time to avert war, in fact Europe is waiting for Trump out and a Democratic president reenter the Iran deal."

"Trump doesn't want to work with Europe, not even listen to their advice."

"I hope there is no war, diplomacy is better than war," he said, expressing regret and concern over tensions between Iran and the United States.

Referring to John Bolton's ousted from Trump's White House, he said "Bolton's successor with all his tough positions is not like him, maybe not better but not worse.

Frank von Hippel is a theoretical physicist, and a Professor of Public and International Affairs at Princeton University. Prior to working at Princeton, he worked for ten years in the field of theoretical elementary-particle physics. From 1993 to 1995, he was the Assistant Director for National Security in the White House Office of Science and Technology Policy.

He now serves on the National Advisory Board of the Center for Arms Control and Non-Proliferation, the research arm of Council for a Livable World. He is a member of the International Panel on Fissile Materials.

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