In an exclusive interview with Iran International TV on Thursday the US Special Representative for Iran and Venezuela, Elliot Abrams said the new US administration must consult with allies in the region before attempting to return to the 2015 Iran nuclear agreement.

"Any administration that tries to get back to the JCPOA quickly will face many barriers. They must consult with American allies and partners in the Middle East," Abrams told Iran International. 

The winner of the presidential race, Joe Biden, has vowed to return to the 2015 Iran nuclear deal (JCPOA), which could mean lifting at least some of the current US sanctions.

"In the years since the JCPOA was signed, Iran has expanded its missile program, and engaged in aggression and subversion throughout the region. They must confront the non-nuclear sanctions that are in effect on the basis of human rights violations and on the basis of counter-terrorism legislation in the United States," he said.

Abrams did not rule out that the future US administration could reach partial agreements with Tehran but said a return to the JCPOA would not be easy or happen instantly. "I don't think it's like a light switch that you turn it on and off. This is a very complicated matter," he said.

Stressing that Iran's military programs and regional behavior are just as important as its nuclear program, Abrams said that the Trump administration on Wednesday slapped new sanctions on Iran including sanctions for the massacre of protesters in Mahshahr during the November 2019 protests and will continue the maximum pressure campaign against the regime until the end of its term January.

"We have defined a better deal as a comprehensive deal, first of all, that covers not only the nuclear file, but covers Iran's missile program, and covers its destabilizing behavior throughout the region," Abrams pointed out.

Some regional countries have warned about the consequences of a US return to the JCPOA and stressed that the Biden administration will need to consult with them and take their concerns into consideration before making a new deal with Iran.

In an exclusive interview with Axios on Wednesday the Bahraini Foreign Minister Abdullatif Al-Zayani, said Bahrain is in consultations with Israel and with its Gulf partners about what’s next on Iran. “Any nation concerned by Iran’s belligerence should, and will, make their case," he stressed. "We will certainly make our views known. We have a close and open dialog with the United States, so I am sure that other regional states will make these concerns absolutely clear."