2015 nuke deal negotiator Malley named as Biden’s envoy on Iran; hawks cry foul
Appointment comes amid criticism from some who consider him soft on Tehran, appears to indicate seriousness of Biden plans to reenter JCPOA if Iran returns first
29 January 2021
US President Joe Biden has selected Robert Malley, who helped negotiate the 2015 Iran nuclear deal, to serve as his envoy on Iran, the White House confirmed Friday.
The move, which has been criticized by Iran hawks, who consider Malley soft on the Islamic Republic, is seen as an indication of the new administration’s intent to try to return to the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action, which former president Donald Trump abandoned in 2018, with the support of the Israeli government.
After confirming Malley’s appointment, White House press secretary Jen Psaki reiterated that the US will be prepared to reenter the accord if Iran returns to compliance with it first. Tehran, for its part, has said that it will only return if the US lifts sanctions against it first and Iran’s envoy to the UN said Thursday that Washington had until February 21 to do so.
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IDF chief didn’t coordinate speech criticizing US on Iran with PM, Gantz: report
Kohavi’s intended audience for inflammatory address was Tehran and the Israeli public, military officials tell broadcaster
30 January 2021
IDF chief of staff Aviv Kohavi did not coordinate with the prime minister or defense minister ahead of a controversial speech he gave earlier this week that criticized the Biden administration’s Iran policies and threatened potential military action against Iran.
Military officials told the Kan public broadcaster that Kohavi had carefully scripted the speech, but its timing — as the Biden administration was taking office — was not meant to send a message to Washington, DC, according to a Friday report
Kohavi’s intended audience for the Tuesday speech was mainly Iran and the Israeli public, and less the US, the officials said.
Continue reading at www.timesofisrael.com
Iran rejects new talks or parties in nuclear deal
Iranian foreign ministry says deal ‘unchangeable’ after French President Macron calls for talks to include Saudi Arabia
30 Jan 2021
Iran’s foreign ministry has rejected any new negotiations or changes to the participants of Tehran’s nuclear deal with world powers, after French President Emmanuel Macron said any new talks should include Saudi Arabia.
“The nuclear accord is a multilateral international agreement ratified by UN Security Council Resolution 2231, which is non-negotiable and parties to it are clear and unchangeable,” Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesman Saeed Khatibzadeh was quoted by state media as saying on Saturday.
Iran began breaching the deal’s limits on uranium enrichment activity after Washington withdrew from the pact in 2018 under then-President Donald Trump and reimposed economic sanctions on Tehran.
Continue reading at www.aljazeera.com
