U.S. National Security Advisor John Bolton on Tuesday described as "deafening" Iran's apparent silence on an offer to negotiate with Washington.

 

"The president has held the door open to real negotiations," Bolton said in a statement.

 

"In response, Iran's silence has been deafening," he added during a visit to Jerusalem.

 

The United States imposed sanctions Monday on Iran's supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei and others, which the Iranian foreign ministry said meant a "permanent closure of the path to diplomacy" with the U.S. administration.