Biden picks Robert Malley as special envoy for Iran
Malley, who currently runs the International Crisis Group in DC, will oversee Biden's efforts to rejoin the Iranian nuclear agreement.
President Joe Biden has selected Robert Malley, a former Middle East adviser in the Obama administration, as his special envoy for Iran, the White House confirmed Friday.
Malley is currently the CEO and president of the International Crisis Group, a Washington-based nonprofit that focuses on conflict resolution. White House press secretary Jen Psaki announced Malley's selection during a briefing with reporters Friday.
In his new role as Biden’s point person on Iran, Malley will oversee the administration’s efforts to revive diplomacy with the country after two years of President Donald Trump’s “maximum pressure” campaign of sanctions.
Malley, as part of President Barack Obama’s National Security Council, played a key role in the negotiations that led to the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA), which in 2015 gave Iran sanctions relief in exchange for restrictions on its nuclear activity. If Iran meets its obligations under the landmark nuclear agreement, Biden has pledged to rejoin the multilateral pact, which Trump unilaterally withdrew from in 2018.
