Monday, January 24, 2022

Iran Nuclear Agreement Unlikely Without Release Of U.S. Prisoners

US Special Envoy for Iran Robert Malley and Barry Rosen, campaigning for the release of US citizens imprisoned in Iran, during an interview with the Reuters news agency [Francois Murphy/Reuters]  

Reuters: Exclusive-Iran nuclear agreement unlikely without release of U.S. prisoners -Malley 

VIENNA (Reuters) - The United States is unlikely to strike an agreement with Iran to save the 2015 Iran nuclear deal unless Tehran releases four U.S. citizens Washington says it is holding hostage, the lead U.S. nuclear negotiator told Reuters on Sunday. 

The official, U.S. Special Envoy for Iran Robert Malley, repeated the long-held U.S. position that the issue of the four people held in Iran is separate from the nuclear negotiations. He moved a step closer, however, to saying that their release was a precondition for a nuclear agreement. 

"They're separate and we're pursuing both of them. But I will say it is very hard for us to imagine getting back into the nuclear deal while four innocent Americans are being held hostage by Iran," Malley told Reuters in an interview.  

Read more ....  

Update: Nuclear deal unlikely unless Iran releases US prisoners: Report (Al Jazeera)  

WNU Editor: I am surprised that the Biden administration is raising this issue as a "possible" deal breaker.

3 comments:

Anonymous said...

This is a fig leaf to cover the embarrassing!

Anonymous said...

Fig leaf? Biden needs a fog leaf in the shape of a body suit.

Adam said...

Same here WNU, same here.