For those who believe that the deal struck with Iran in Geneva was a positive step rather than one towards a future disaster, they can credit Vice President Biden’s national security adviser, Jake Sullivan, who secretly met with Iranian officials in July 2012 when he was working under Secretary of State Hillary Clinton as Deputy Chief of Staff for Policy.
While Clinton was staying in Paris, Sullivan disappeared, only to meet her a few days later in Mongolia. In the interim period, according to the Associated Press, he flew to Oman to meet with Iranian officials. Sullivan is a Hillary Clinton acolyte, and the AP reports that if Clinton became president, he would be a likely pick for White House national security adviser.
Sullivan transferred to the White House in February of this year but still was involved in backchannel discussions with Iran. The AP has reported that Sullivan and Deputy Secretary of State William Burns had clandestine meetings with their Iranian partners five times in 2013 before the Geneva deal.
Clinton’s aide Philippe Reines, a former colleague of Sullivan’s at the state Department, said of Sullivan, “He’s essentially a once-in-a-generation talent.” Sullivan considered running for Congress after Clinton stepped down from the State Department, but the White House wanted him aboard.
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