Robert Malley of the International Crisis Group speaks during the Forum MED Mediterranean Dialogues summit in Rome, Italy on November 30, 2017. (Photo: Riccardo De Luca/Anadolu Agency/Getty Images)
Progressives Applaud Rob Malley, Key Nuclear Deal Negotiator, as Biden's Special Envoy for Iran
"Malley should be celebrated for his ability to understand how adversaries see problems and find common ground, for this is the art of diplomacy."
Progressives on Friday welcomed the addition of Robert Malley, a Middle East expert and Iran nuclear deal negotiator, to the Biden administration as a positive step away from the previous U.S. administration's hostile rhetoric and policies toward Tehran, which often generated fears of a hot war.
"President Biden will have a tough road ahead... But with Rob Malley helming his Iran policy, he will have exactly the kind of veteran diplomat needed to untie the Gordian knot of U.S.-Iran relations."
--Jamal Abdi, NIACFollowing reporting on Thursday from multiple media outlets, both the White House and the State Department confirmed on Friday that Malley will serve as President Joe Biden's special U.S. envoy for Iran--in spite of opposition from hawkish critics.
State Department spokesperson Ned Price said that Malley "brings to the position a track record of success negotiating constraints on Iran's nuclear program" and Secretary of State Antony Blinken "is confident he and his team will be able to do that once again."
A veteran of the Clinton and Obama administrations, Malley played a key role in 2015 Iran nuclear deal, officially called the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA). Biden vowed as a candidate that he would return the U.S. to that historic pact, from which former President Donald Trump withdrew in May 2018.
In addition to ditching the nuclear deal, the Trump administration ratcheted up tensions with Tehran via a "maximum pressure campaign" that featured devastating economic sanctions. The ex-president also ordered the assassination Iranian Gen. Qasem Soleimani, which a top U.N. expert says violated international law.
Especially given the recent relationship between Washington and and Tehran, Malley's appointment was applauded as progress toward peace and diplomacy.
"Rob is a great pick, and it's an encouraging sign of how the Washington foreign policy consensus has shifted in a pro-diplomacy direction. Rob has played a big role in helping shift it," said Matt Duss, foreign policy adviser to Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.), according to CNN. Malley advised Sanders' 2020 presidential campaign.
Jamal Abdi, president of the National Iranian American Council (NIAC), issued a statement praising the pick as "a major step in putting U.S. diplomacy back in the hands of genuine professionals," adding that "Malley is a consummate diplomat of impeccable skill and humility, well respected by ally and adversary alike."
"His track record of skillful diplomacy makes him well-situated to reverse the Trump administration's dangerous escalatory spiral with Iran and chart a path to non-violent solutions to disputes with Iran," Abdi said, noting that he "joins several other Biden national security appointees who have extensive experience in dealing with Iran."
Abdi also highlighted Malley's potential beyond reviving the nuclear deal:
His appointment today brings newfound hope for the American and other dual nationals languishing in Iranian prisons, whose release must be a vital priority. Malley's deep experience on other Middle Eastern issues also creates opportunities for the U.S. to facilitate political solutions to the catastrophic Saudi war in Yemen and other regional crises.
Malley should be celebrated for his ability to understand how adversaries see problems and find common ground, for this is the art of diplomacy. The coordinated smear campaign to scuttle his nomination was not just an ugly attempt to besmirch his character, but to obstruct the very potential for diplomacy under President Biden. American foreign policy for too long has been militarily muscular but diplomatically weak. This was exemplified by the previous administration's militaristic "take it or leave it" outlook on the world, an approach that has time and again led to foreign misadventures costing trillions of dollars and countless lives.
Now more than ever, America needs to invest in its diplomatic corps. NIAC commends President Biden for standing with Malley and opening the door for serious diplomacy with Iran. President Biden will have a tough road ahead to bring tensions with Iran back from the brink and revitalize American diplomacy. But with Rob Malley helming his Iran policy, he will have exactly the kind of veteran diplomat needed to untie the Gordian knot of U.S.-Iran relations.
Jason Rezaian served as the Washington Post's correspondent in Tehran from 2012 to 2016 and spent 544 days imprisoned by Iranian authorities. As he detailed in an opinion piece for the newspaper on Friday, the controversy over Malley's inclusion in the administration kicked off last, when a group called the National Union for Democracy in Iran (NUFDI) published an open letter urging Blinken, who was not yet confirmed, to reconsider Malley, implying he would be too soft on Iran.
Notably, three former hostages of the Iranian government signed on to the NUFDI letter. "I feel a special kinship with other former hostages of Iran and choose not to question their political positions," Rezaian wrote. "But I did feel a responsibility to express my concern that their public visibility was being used by a group of people who, after easy access to the Trump administration, suddenly find themselves looking into the halls of power from the outside."
Rezaian also argued that "despite inevitable objections from Republicans, Biden should move forward with his Iran plans with confidence and transparency," writing:
He can start by reiterating all the ways the nuclear deal was working before Trump withdrew the United States from it, and how he plans to build off of it to address other issues with Iran, especially human rights abuses. Critically, the Biden administration shouldn't be shy about making the failure of Trump's "maximum pressure" policy a core component of its plan. In all instances, Biden officials should err toward over-explaining to get their message out.
One of those messages, according to NIAC senior research fellow Assal Rad, comes from Malley's selection--signaling Biden's administration "is serious about diplomacy."
"It's also an indication that the smear tactics of the Trump era are useless," Rad said, adding that "now opponents of diplomacy will be forced to make actual arguments."
Friday was a "good day for peace advocates," Rad concluded, and a "bad day" for opponents of diplomacy.
Urgent. It's never been this bad.
Dear Common Dreams reader, It’s been nearly 30 years since I co-founded Common Dreams with my late wife, Lina Newhouser. We had the radical notion that journalism should serve the public good, not corporate profits. It was clear to us from the outset what it would take to build such a project. No paid advertisements. No corporate sponsors. No millionaire publisher telling us what to think or do. Many people said we wouldn't last a year, but we proved those doubters wrong. Together with a tremendous team of journalists and dedicated staff, we built an independent media outlet free from the constraints of profits and corporate control. Our mission from the outset was simple. To inform. To inspire. To ignite change for the common good. Building Common Dreams was not easy. Our survival was never guaranteed. When you take on the most powerful forces—Wall Street greed, fossil fuel industry destruction, Big Tech lobbyists, and uber-rich oligarchs who have spent billions upon billions rigging the economy and democracy in their favor—the only bulwark you have is supporters who believe in your work. But here’s the urgent message from me today. It’s never been this bad out there. And it’s never been this hard to keep us going. At the very moment Common Dreams is most needed and doing some of its best and most important work, the threats we face are intensifying. Right now, with just hours left in our Spring Campaign, we're still falling short of our make-or-break goal. When everyone does the little they can afford, we are strong. But if that support retreats or dries up, so do we. Can you make a gift right now to make sure Common Dreams not only survives but thrives? There is no backup plan or rainy day fund. There is only you. —Craig Brown, Co-founder |
Progressives on Friday welcomed the addition of Robert Malley, a Middle East expert and Iran nuclear deal negotiator, to the Biden administration as a positive step away from the previous U.S. administration's hostile rhetoric and policies toward Tehran, which often generated fears of a hot war.
"President Biden will have a tough road ahead... But with Rob Malley helming his Iran policy, he will have exactly the kind of veteran diplomat needed to untie the Gordian knot of U.S.-Iran relations."
--Jamal Abdi, NIACFollowing reporting on Thursday from multiple media outlets, both the White House and the State Department confirmed on Friday that Malley will serve as President Joe Biden's special U.S. envoy for Iran--in spite of opposition from hawkish critics.
State Department spokesperson Ned Price said that Malley "brings to the position a track record of success negotiating constraints on Iran's nuclear program" and Secretary of State Antony Blinken "is confident he and his team will be able to do that once again."
A veteran of the Clinton and Obama administrations, Malley played a key role in 2015 Iran nuclear deal, officially called the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA). Biden vowed as a candidate that he would return the U.S. to that historic pact, from which former President Donald Trump withdrew in May 2018.
In addition to ditching the nuclear deal, the Trump administration ratcheted up tensions with Tehran via a "maximum pressure campaign" that featured devastating economic sanctions. The ex-president also ordered the assassination Iranian Gen. Qasem Soleimani, which a top U.N. expert says violated international law.
Especially given the recent relationship between Washington and and Tehran, Malley's appointment was applauded as progress toward peace and diplomacy.
"Rob is a great pick, and it's an encouraging sign of how the Washington foreign policy consensus has shifted in a pro-diplomacy direction. Rob has played a big role in helping shift it," said Matt Duss, foreign policy adviser to Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.), according to CNN. Malley advised Sanders' 2020 presidential campaign.
Jamal Abdi, president of the National Iranian American Council (NIAC), issued a statement praising the pick as "a major step in putting U.S. diplomacy back in the hands of genuine professionals," adding that "Malley is a consummate diplomat of impeccable skill and humility, well respected by ally and adversary alike."
"His track record of skillful diplomacy makes him well-situated to reverse the Trump administration's dangerous escalatory spiral with Iran and chart a path to non-violent solutions to disputes with Iran," Abdi said, noting that he "joins several other Biden national security appointees who have extensive experience in dealing with Iran."
Abdi also highlighted Malley's potential beyond reviving the nuclear deal:
His appointment today brings newfound hope for the American and other dual nationals languishing in Iranian prisons, whose release must be a vital priority. Malley's deep experience on other Middle Eastern issues also creates opportunities for the U.S. to facilitate political solutions to the catastrophic Saudi war in Yemen and other regional crises.
Malley should be celebrated for his ability to understand how adversaries see problems and find common ground, for this is the art of diplomacy. The coordinated smear campaign to scuttle his nomination was not just an ugly attempt to besmirch his character, but to obstruct the very potential for diplomacy under President Biden. American foreign policy for too long has been militarily muscular but diplomatically weak. This was exemplified by the previous administration's militaristic "take it or leave it" outlook on the world, an approach that has time and again led to foreign misadventures costing trillions of dollars and countless lives.
Now more than ever, America needs to invest in its diplomatic corps. NIAC commends President Biden for standing with Malley and opening the door for serious diplomacy with Iran. President Biden will have a tough road ahead to bring tensions with Iran back from the brink and revitalize American diplomacy. But with Rob Malley helming his Iran policy, he will have exactly the kind of veteran diplomat needed to untie the Gordian knot of U.S.-Iran relations.
Jason Rezaian served as the Washington Post's correspondent in Tehran from 2012 to 2016 and spent 544 days imprisoned by Iranian authorities. As he detailed in an opinion piece for the newspaper on Friday, the controversy over Malley's inclusion in the administration kicked off last, when a group called the National Union for Democracy in Iran (NUFDI) published an open letter urging Blinken, who was not yet confirmed, to reconsider Malley, implying he would be too soft on Iran.
Notably, three former hostages of the Iranian government signed on to the NUFDI letter. "I feel a special kinship with other former hostages of Iran and choose not to question their political positions," Rezaian wrote. "But I did feel a responsibility to express my concern that their public visibility was being used by a group of people who, after easy access to the Trump administration, suddenly find themselves looking into the halls of power from the outside."
Rezaian also argued that "despite inevitable objections from Republicans, Biden should move forward with his Iran plans with confidence and transparency," writing:
He can start by reiterating all the ways the nuclear deal was working before Trump withdrew the United States from it, and how he plans to build off of it to address other issues with Iran, especially human rights abuses. Critically, the Biden administration shouldn't be shy about making the failure of Trump's "maximum pressure" policy a core component of its plan. In all instances, Biden officials should err toward over-explaining to get their message out.
One of those messages, according to NIAC senior research fellow Assal Rad, comes from Malley's selection--signaling Biden's administration "is serious about diplomacy."
"It's also an indication that the smear tactics of the Trump era are useless," Rad said, adding that "now opponents of diplomacy will be forced to make actual arguments."
Friday was a "good day for peace advocates," Rad concluded, and a "bad day" for opponents of diplomacy.
Progressives on Friday welcomed the addition of Robert Malley, a Middle East expert and Iran nuclear deal negotiator, to the Biden administration as a positive step away from the previous U.S. administration's hostile rhetoric and policies toward Tehran, which often generated fears of a hot war.
"President Biden will have a tough road ahead... But with Rob Malley helming his Iran policy, he will have exactly the kind of veteran diplomat needed to untie the Gordian knot of U.S.-Iran relations."
--Jamal Abdi, NIACFollowing reporting on Thursday from multiple media outlets, both the White House and the State Department confirmed on Friday that Malley will serve as President Joe Biden's special U.S. envoy for Iran--in spite of opposition from hawkish critics.
State Department spokesperson Ned Price said that Malley "brings to the position a track record of success negotiating constraints on Iran's nuclear program" and Secretary of State Antony Blinken "is confident he and his team will be able to do that once again."
A veteran of the Clinton and Obama administrations, Malley played a key role in 2015 Iran nuclear deal, officially called the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA). Biden vowed as a candidate that he would return the U.S. to that historic pact, from which former President Donald Trump withdrew in May 2018.
In addition to ditching the nuclear deal, the Trump administration ratcheted up tensions with Tehran via a "maximum pressure campaign" that featured devastating economic sanctions. The ex-president also ordered the assassination Iranian Gen. Qasem Soleimani, which a top U.N. expert says violated international law.
Especially given the recent relationship between Washington and and Tehran, Malley's appointment was applauded as progress toward peace and diplomacy.
"Rob is a great pick, and it's an encouraging sign of how the Washington foreign policy consensus has shifted in a pro-diplomacy direction. Rob has played a big role in helping shift it," said Matt Duss, foreign policy adviser to Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.), according to CNN. Malley advised Sanders' 2020 presidential campaign.
Jamal Abdi, president of the National Iranian American Council (NIAC), issued a statement praising the pick as "a major step in putting U.S. diplomacy back in the hands of genuine professionals," adding that "Malley is a consummate diplomat of impeccable skill and humility, well respected by ally and adversary alike."
"His track record of skillful diplomacy makes him well-situated to reverse the Trump administration's dangerous escalatory spiral with Iran and chart a path to non-violent solutions to disputes with Iran," Abdi said, noting that he "joins several other Biden national security appointees who have extensive experience in dealing with Iran."
Abdi also highlighted Malley's potential beyond reviving the nuclear deal:
His appointment today brings newfound hope for the American and other dual nationals languishing in Iranian prisons, whose release must be a vital priority. Malley's deep experience on other Middle Eastern issues also creates opportunities for the U.S. to facilitate political solutions to the catastrophic Saudi war in Yemen and other regional crises.
Malley should be celebrated for his ability to understand how adversaries see problems and find common ground, for this is the art of diplomacy. The coordinated smear campaign to scuttle his nomination was not just an ugly attempt to besmirch his character, but to obstruct the very potential for diplomacy under President Biden. American foreign policy for too long has been militarily muscular but diplomatically weak. This was exemplified by the previous administration's militaristic "take it or leave it" outlook on the world, an approach that has time and again led to foreign misadventures costing trillions of dollars and countless lives.
Now more than ever, America needs to invest in its diplomatic corps. NIAC commends President Biden for standing with Malley and opening the door for serious diplomacy with Iran. President Biden will have a tough road ahead to bring tensions with Iran back from the brink and revitalize American diplomacy. But with Rob Malley helming his Iran policy, he will have exactly the kind of veteran diplomat needed to untie the Gordian knot of U.S.-Iran relations.
Jason Rezaian served as the Washington Post's correspondent in Tehran from 2012 to 2016 and spent 544 days imprisoned by Iranian authorities. As he detailed in an opinion piece for the newspaper on Friday, the controversy over Malley's inclusion in the administration kicked off last, when a group called the National Union for Democracy in Iran (NUFDI) published an open letter urging Blinken, who was not yet confirmed, to reconsider Malley, implying he would be too soft on Iran.
Notably, three former hostages of the Iranian government signed on to the NUFDI letter. "I feel a special kinship with other former hostages of Iran and choose not to question their political positions," Rezaian wrote. "But I did feel a responsibility to express my concern that their public visibility was being used by a group of people who, after easy access to the Trump administration, suddenly find themselves looking into the halls of power from the outside."
Rezaian also argued that "despite inevitable objections from Republicans, Biden should move forward with his Iran plans with confidence and transparency," writing:
He can start by reiterating all the ways the nuclear deal was working before Trump withdrew the United States from it, and how he plans to build off of it to address other issues with Iran, especially human rights abuses. Critically, the Biden administration shouldn't be shy about making the failure of Trump's "maximum pressure" policy a core component of its plan. In all instances, Biden officials should err toward over-explaining to get their message out.
One of those messages, according to NIAC senior research fellow Assal Rad, comes from Malley's selection--signaling Biden's administration "is serious about diplomacy."
"It's also an indication that the smear tactics of the Trump era are useless," Rad said, adding that "now opponents of diplomacy will be forced to make actual arguments."
Friday was a "good day for peace advocates," Rad concluded, and a "bad day" for opponents of diplomacy.