As reports emerged that Crisis Group”s Robert Malley is considered as President Biden’s new envoy on Iran. Here is why some observers see this potential choice problematic.
Scoop: Former Obama natsec official Rob Malley is under consideration to be the Biden admin's Iran envoy.https://t.co/UsmZltknPI
— Melissa Weiss (@melissaeweiss) January 20, 2021
It’s behind a paywall but @Rob_Malley being considered for #Iran envoy. Perfect choice to restore and build on @TheIranDeal
— Barbara Slavin (@barbaraslavin1) January 20, 2021
1/THREAD
— Kaveh Shahrooz کاوه شهروز (@kshahrooz) January 20, 2021
With #Inauguration out of the way, let's focus on the new administration.
News report suggest that Obama alum @Rob_Malley, head of @CrisisGroup, is being considered for special envoy to Iran. This would be a DISASTER for the human rights movement.https://t.co/5jMPvQl278
3/ @hmousavian – currently at @Princeton for reasons no one can discern – was Iran’s ambassador to Germany in '92 when Kurdish dissidents were murderd by IRI agents. Germany kicked him out because of his connection to the murder. This is someone Malley wants to do business with. pic.twitter.com/bcyB696Ul9
— Kaveh Shahrooz کاوه شهروز (@kshahrooz) January 20, 2021
4/ Any reader of my Twitter feed would be familiar with Trita Parsi, defender of the Iranian regime, first at NIAC and now at the Koch funded Quincy Institute.
— Kaveh Shahrooz کاوه شهروز (@kshahrooz) January 20, 2021
His background in the below thread. Again, Malley thinks Parsi is a credible voice on Iran. https://t.co/x3EKbRtiay
6/ As President of Crisis Group, Malley has employed a team of Iranian analysts who are most known for their closeness to the Iranian regime and their repeated public attacks against Iranian human/women’s rights activists. Like Ali Vaez, friend of Rafsanjani and Zarif mouthpiece. pic.twitter.com/Dv0ivdf9Tz
— Kaveh Shahrooz کاوه شهروز (@kshahrooz) January 20, 2021
8/ I, for one, am glad Trump is gone. But the Biden administration needs to be careful not to repeat the errors of the Obama administration: the errors that led to a strenghtened Iran crushing its opposition in 2009, and led to the human rights catastrophe in Syria.
— Kaveh Shahrooz کاوه شهروز (@kshahrooz) January 20, 2021
9/ Malley’s appointment would signal to Iran's regime that the US isn't serious about strengthening the nuclear agreement, as Biden has professed, and the US isn't interested in human rights for Iranians, Syrians, Lebanese, and Iraqis repessed by the IRGC and their proxies.
— Kaveh Shahrooz کاوه شهروز (@kshahrooz) January 20, 2021
/End
.@Rob_Malley would be horrific choice!
— Arsen Ostrovsky (@Ostrov_A) January 21, 2021
Was foremost cheerleader for Iran deal & criticised targeting of Soleimani & Fakhrizadeh.
Initially kicked off Obama team for meeting Hamas.
As Obama Mid East advisor was exceptionally hostile to Israel.
Led failed approach on ISIS. https://t.co/H6aWKS3JBQ
An #Iranian-American campaign to formally reject the appointment of @Rob_Malley as special representative for #Iran is imperative.
— Reza Behrouz 🇺🇸 (@RBehrouzDO) January 21, 2021
Malley is an incompetent extremist who sympathizes with the totalitarian theocracy in Iran and is connected to the #Iranlobby in the US. @ABlinken pic.twitter.com/GlkEyWb1jw
If Biden wants to show he’s very much NOT serious about human rights, incapable of securing a better deal, disinterested in bipartisan show of force against Khamenei’s brutal regime, tone deaf to allies in the region, he should go ahead & appoint Malley.https://t.co/46izhLmBQy
— Mariam Memarsadeghi (@memarsadeghi) January 20, 2021
This might the absolute worst decision @JoeBiden could make. Rob Malley is a well known supporter of Qatar which helps funds his "think tank"-@CrisisGroup. He's also well-known for his support of Hamas. He's anti-Israel to his core. Say no this appointmenthttps://t.co/0sfq07RTdj
— Mark Jacobs (@mr_markjacobs) January 20, 2021
Seconded@POTUS’s envoys have to be balanced; not biased in favour of the ruthless Mullahs regime in Tehran.
— Nervana Mahmoud (@Nervana_1) January 21, 2021
Appointment of #RobMalley will send shivers in many Arab Gulf capital as it will indicate that @JoeBiden does not care about their security and stability#BidenTakeAction https://t.co/9DS8aa6o3x
Did @Rob_Malley, @ChrisMurphyCT and Co., read this 👇👇👇 before rushing to oppose designation of #Houthis as terror group?
— Nervana Mahmoud (@Nervana_1) January 14, 2021
Or they think Houthis master- #Iran– deployment of “suicide drones” is not a terror activity? https://t.co/ToHsCUWRk2
Nervana 