Former US Army vice chief of staff General Jack Keane has hit out at Iran for “destabilising the Middle East” and “trying to destroy” Israel.

This comes as Iran’s supreme leader has opened the door to new negotiations with the United States over his country’s nuclear program.

“Iran … (is) destabilising the Middle East and trying to destroy the state of Israel and drive the United States out of the region,” General Keane told Sky News host Andrew Bolt.