US Envoy Heads to Meet Iran’s Rivals Ahead of Nuclear Deal Talks

Robert Malley will visit Israel, Saudia Arabia, the UAE, and Bahrain

President Biden’s envoy for Iran is headed on a tour of the Middle East to meet with US allies ahead of the nuclear deal talks that are set to resume on November 29th. According to the State Department, from November 21st to the 30th, special envoy Robert Malley will visit Israel, Bahrain, the UAE, and Saudi Arabia.

One thing the four countries have in common is an opposition to the Iran nuclear deal, known as the JCPOA. Despite their stance, the State Department said Malley will be coordinating with these countries on the upcoming JCPOA negotiations.

“He will coordinate our approaches on a broad range of concerns with Iran, including its destabilizing activities in the region and the upcoming seventh round of talks on a mutual return to full compliance with the JCPOA,” the State Department said.

Malley’s trip comes as the US, Israel, the UAE, and Bahrain launched their first official military exercise that is seen as a message to Iran. Israeli officials have constantly been threatening to take military action against Iran, and the head of the Israeli Defense Forces said this week that he is “accelerating” plans to attack the Islamic Republic.

Meanwhile, Iran is on a diplomatic blitz to meet with the remaining JCPOA participants; China, Russia, the UK, France, and Germany. Iran has set conditions for a JCPOA revival that includes the US lifting all sanctions imposed since the Trump administration withdrew from the deal in 2018.

Author: Dave DeCamp

Dave DeCamp is the news editor of Antiwar.com, follow him on Twitter @decampdave.