Rob Malley, who led indirect talks with Iran earlier this year, said that President Joe Biden's administration still felt it was best to return to the deal that was trashed by former president Donald Trump.

"We feel like coming back would still be the best outcome but we're realistic," Malley said at an event at the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace.

"We know that there's at least a good possibility that Iran is going to choose a different path and we need to coordinate with Israel and with our other partners in the region," Malley said.

The foreign ministers of Israel and the United Arab Emirates, which established relations last year, were meeting jointly Wednesday with Secretary of State Antony Blinken.

Malley said he would also head within days to Saudi Arabia, Qatar and the United Arab Emirates.