By VT Editors
Raw Story: The new US government has named Rob Malley, an architect of the 2015 nuclear deal with Iran, as its special envoy to Tehran, but policy hawks say he’s too soft on the Islamic republic.
Secretary of State Antony Blinken is “building a dedicated team” to address Washington’s relations with Iran, to be led by Malley, a State Department official said Friday.
Malley, a childhood friend of Blinken, has been serving as head of the International Crisis Group, an independent non-governmental organization focused on conflict resolution.
Before that, he was one of the chief negotiators on the 2015 nuclear deal reached by Iran and world powers, under which Tehran was promised economic relief for major curbs in its contested nuclear program.
Malley “brings to the position a track record of success negotiating constraints on Iran’s nuclear program,” the State Department official said.
Bernie Sanders@SenSanders Rob Malley is an extremely knowledgeable expert with great experience in promoting U.S. security through diplomacy rather than war. He would be an excellent choice for the role of Iran envoy.
Jewish Insider@J_InsiderScoop: Former Obama official @Rob_Malley is under consideration to be the Biden administration’s envoy on Iran.
The deal was reached under Barack Obama, when President Joe Biden was his number two.
Malley “brings to the position a track record of success negotiating constraints on Iran’s nuclear program,” the State Department official said.“The Secretary is confident he and his team will be able to do that once again.”
The deal was reached under Barack Obama, when President Joe Biden was his number two.
Iran responded to the tough Trump-era sanctions by reducing its compliance with the deal, formally known as the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA). It wants Washington to make the first move
Before he was even named to the post, rumors of Malley’s nomination prompted sharp criticism from anti-Iran hawks on the political right. read more…
