US, West turn up heat on Iran over Ukraine

Also: An October benchmark for the Iran nuclear deal could turn into a showdown over Ukraine, while signaling the end of the JCPOA.

Week in Review Andrew Parasiliti
Week in Review , Andrew Parasiliti
Jul 14, 2023
Iran nuclear
Robert Malley, Biden administration special envoy for Iran, testifies about the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action during a hearing of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, Washington, May 25, 2022. — BRENDAN SMIALOWSKI/AFP via Getty Images

Epitaph on the JCPOA 

With US Special Envoy for Iran Robert Malley on unpaid leave pending a security clearance investigation, a chapter has closed in the Biden administration’s approach to Iran.

US President Joe Biden appointed Malley on Jan. 28, 2021, to right the wrong of his predecessor, Donald Trump, who withdrew from the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA), or Iran nuclear deal, in 2018. 

Instead of simply reentering the JCPOA, which was an option, Biden tasked Malley to seek a "longer and stronger" deal, deemed necessary given Iran’s advances in enrichment since 2018, and some rapidly approaching sunset clauses in the original agreement (more on this below).   

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