New US envoy to Teheran named, but critics say he's too soft on Iran

WASHINGTON • The new United States government has named Mr Rob Malley, an architect of the 2015 nuclear deal with Iran, as its special envoy to Teheran, but policy hawks say he is too soft on the Islamic republic.

US Secretary of State Antony Blinken is "building a dedicated team" to address Washington's relations with Iran, to be led by Mr Malley, a State Department official said on Friday.

Mr Malley, a childhood friend of Mr Blinken, has been serving as head of the International Crisis Group, an independent non-governmental organisation 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 Teheran was promised economic relief for major curbs in its nuclear programme.

The deal was reached under Mr Barack Obama, when President Joe Biden was his number two.

But in 2018, Mr Donald Trump unilaterally withdrew the US from the accord, which was also signed by Britain, China, France, Germany and Russia.

The Trump administration deemed the deal not tough enough, and felt it should have also covered what it saw as Iran's "destabilising" activities in the Middle East. It slapped tough sanctions on Teheran.

Before he was even named to his latest post, rumours of Mr Malley's nomination prompted sharp criticism from anti-Iran hawks on the political right.

"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."

AGENCE FRANCE-PRESSE