Jake Sullivan

It produces more than 90 percent of the most advanced semiconductors that power the global economy, that power the American economy, that power the AI revolution.

And if China were to take military action against Taiwan or otherwise strike or strangle Taiwan, this would have a major impact.

This is not a profession about talking nicely to people.

You've got to build up leverage.

Some of you may remember the incident where there were three young men

American hikers who were on the Iraqi-Iran border, not the place I would have chosen to hike.

The Omanis proved very resourceful in helping us to obtain their release, so that's how they established their credibility.

I vividly remember the first trip we made to Oman in an unmarked US government aircraft leaving Andrews Air Force Base outside Washington.

17-hour flight to Oman.

Well, you guys know what we need to do.

I trust you, so don't screw it up.

may have actually been a little bit more colorful than don't screw it up.

I don't think we would have gotten very far if we had done this in the glare of publicity.

We meet in this vacated Omani military officers retreat right on the Arabian Sea.

The temperature outside was about 120 degrees Fahrenheit.

So there wasn't much to do other than talk to the Iranians.

This lunch might have offered the opportunity, but President Rouhani didn't show.

Iran agreed to limit its disputed nuclear program in exchange for some relief from tough sanctions.

They could enrich to weapons grade uranium, which would be sufficient for producing a nuclear weapon.

The US president, Barack Obama, believes Iran is about a year away from building a nuclear bomb.