US JCPOA Strategy In Disarray

The US strategy for containing Iran's nuclear programme appears to be losing support amongst key members of the diplomatic process.

• There were reports last week that Richard Nephew stepped down as deputy special envoy to Iran because he believed the deal was dead (the White House denied this).
• Then Senator Robert Menendez's (D-NJ), an Iran hawk in the Democratic caucus, delivered remarks to the Senate critisising the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action talks.
• Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY) today has said: The Biden administration has an '...obsession with returning to the Obama administration's failed 2015 nuclear agreement. Since President Biden took office, he's made rejoining the deal an overriding diplomatic objective.'
• McConnell: 'I'm still hopeful that President Biden will finally recognise Tehran isn’t negotiating in good faith. It's certainly not too late to start heeding good advice. It's not too late to start ratcheting up the pressure on Tehran and imposing serious costs.'
• Israeli news outlets are reporting that Iran may have already passed the reasonable threshold for developing nuclear weapons and any deal struck now would constitute a security risk for the region.
• A key date for progress is February 9 when Special Envoy for Iran Robert Malley is to testify to a closed Senate session about the ongoing Vienna negotiations to revive the 2015 nuclear deal.