JERUSALEM POST
Iran rejects new players and new negotiations of nuclear deal
by Reuters and Lahav Harkov
January 30, 2021

Iran’s foreign ministry rejected any new negotiations or changes to the participants in Tehran’s nuclear deal with world powers, after French President Emmanuel Macron said new talks should include Saudi Arabia. The remarks came after the White House confirmed that veteran diplomat Robert Malley was named special US envoy for Iran. A key member of former president Barack Obama’s nuclear negotiating team, Malley is a controversial figure in Israel, where he is viewed as soft on Tehran and tough on Jerusalem…US Secretary of State Antony Blinken said the Biden administration would consult with its allies in the Middle East, including Israel, before engaging in talks with Iran. READ MORE

TIMES OF ISRAEL 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…“It’s deeply troubling that President Biden would consider appointing Rob Malley to direct Iran policy,” Republican Senator Tom Cotton tweeted last week. “Malley has a long track record of sympathy for the Iranian regime & animus towards Israel. The ayatollahs wouldn’t believe their luck if he is selected,” he wrote.