Blinken-'No Agreement In Offing' On Iran

Secretary of State Anthony Blinken has been speaking at the Council on Foreign Relations. In wide-ranging comments Blinken stated that he held 'interesting conversations' on Ukraine during his trip to Beijing, says there is 'no agreement in the offing' with Iran, and that he does not 'think we've seen the last act' following the Wagner mutiny in Russia.

• Shaun Tandon at AFP: Blinken says he had "very interesting conversations" in Beijing on Ukraine and that he hopes that "if we get to a moment where diplomacy has realistic prospects" that China can "play a constructive role."
• Elixabeth Hagedorn at Al Monitor: 'Asked about an informal arrangement with Iran, Blinken says "there is no agreement in the offing, even as we continue to be willing to explore diplomatic paths. Whether Iran chooses itself to take actions, or maybe better put, not to take actions that further escalate the tensions not only between us but with other countries, we'll see by their actions,".
• Freelance journalist Laura Rozen: 'Blinken on Russian developments: This is a moving picture, and I don’t think we’ve seen the last act. Blinken : The biggest impediment to getting [..] diplomacy, is Pres. Putin’s conviction that he can outlast Ukraine & he can outlast all of us.The more we are able to disabuse him of that notion, the more likely it is that at some point he’ll come to the table.'