Top Iran diplomat says talks on ballistic missiles possible

Iran's foreign minister has suggested for the first time that the Islamic Republic's ballistic missile program could be up for negotiations with the US, a possible opening for talks as tensions remain high between Tehran and Washington over the collapsing nuclear deal.

Mohammad Javad Zarif offered an initially high price for such negotiations the halt of American arms sales to both Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates, two key US allies in the Persian Gulf.

But the fact that he mentioned it at all potentially represents a change in policy.

The country's ballistic missile program remains under control of the Iranian paramilitary Revolutionary Guard, which answers only to Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei.

The comment comes as Iran continues its own high-pressure campaign over its nuclear program after President Donald Trump unilaterally withdrew America from the accord over a year ago.

Recently, Iran has inched its uranium production and enrichment over the limits of its 2015 nuclear deal, trying to put more pressure on Europe to offer it better terms and allow it to sell its crude oil abroad.

However, those tensions also have seen the US send thousands of additional troops, nuclear-capable B-52 bombers and advanced fighter jets into the Mideast.

Mysterious attacks on oil tankers and Iran shooting down a US military surveillance drone has added to the fears of an armed conflict breaking out.

Zarif brought up the ballistic missile offer during an interview with NBC News that aired Monday night as he's in New York for meetings at the United Nations.

He mentioned the UAE spending USD 22 billion and Saudi Arabia spending USD 67 billion on weapons last year, many of them American-made, while Iran spent only USD 16 billion in comparison.

"These are American weaponry that is going into our region, making our region ready to explode," Zarif said.

"So if they want to talk about our missiles, they need first to stop selling all these weapons, including missiles, to our region."