RIYADH: The United States is keeping an eye on Iran's 'destabilising' acts while the two nations try to reach a deal on Tehran's nuclear programme, Secretary of State John Kerry said Thursday.
"Even as we engage in these discussions with Iran around this programme, we will not take our eye off Iran's destabilising actions in places like Syria, Lebanon, Iraq and the Arabian Peninsula, Yemen particularly," he told reporters in Riyadh.
Kerry, who arrived in Saudi Arabia after three days of talks with Iran's foreign minister, said he came to update Gulf foreign ministers on the negotiations.
Saudi Arabia and the five other Sunni Gulf nations remain wary about a rapprochement between Shiite-dominated Iran and Washington.
But Kerry underscored that "we are not seeking a grand bargain".
"Nothing will be different the day after this agreement, if we reach one, with respect to any other issues that challenge us in this region, except we will have taken steps to guarantee that Iran will not have a nuclear weapon."
Whether or not there is a deal, the US will be fully committed to addressing other issues with Iran, "including its support for terrorism," he said.
The so-called P5+1 group of Britain, China, France, Russia, the United States and Germany is trying to strike an accord that would prevent Tehran from developing a nuclear bomb.
In return, the West would ease punishing sanctions on Iran, which insists its nuclear programme is purely civilian.
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