The news of Robert Malley’s recent suspension as the Special Envoy to Iran for allegedly mishandling classified documents is an opportunity to evaluate his 29-month tenure. Scrutiny of his term quickly reveals an abject failure to advance American interests. In an aggressive pursuit of a new nuclear deal with Iran, Malley compromised America’s standing across the Middle East.
Upon appointment, Malley had a singular objective: Revitalization of the 2015 Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA). For this endeavor, his selection by President Joe Biden made sense. Malley was a pivotal figure in the negotiations that led to the formalization of the JCPOA during President Barack Obama’s administration. His service as special envoy witnessed multiple pauses, restarts, and several moments when a deal seemed imminent. Yet, the passage of two and a half years unequivocally demonstrates the failure of Malley’s mission. As a practical matter, the original strictures of the JCPAO – the dismantling of Iran’s nuclear program and the opening of its facilities to international inspection – are obsolete, never to be reinstated.
Meanwhile, Biden’s stated objectives within a renegotiated JCPOA – the prevention of Tehran from obtaining nuclear armament and a reining in of Iran’s destabilizing support to proxy forces in the region – are getting further away. Iran’s expedited uranium enrichment efforts significantly supplemented the nation’s nuclear stockpile. The Islamic Republic appears weeks away from amassing adequate fissile material to construct a nuclear weapon. Iran continues to support terror groups in the Middle East and Levant. Concurrently, the lenient implementation of sanctions by the U.S. has permitted Iran to notably enhance its oil exports, predominantly to China, and bolster its trade of military drones with Russia amidst its ongoing invasion of Ukraine. Further, sensing and seizing American weakness in the Middle East, Beijing complements its military and economic footholds in the region with diplomatic influence, brokering a stunning breakthrough agreement to restore relations between Riyadh and Tehran.
As special envoy, Malley’s pursuit of Biden’s dream of reentry into JCPAO sometimes reeked of desperation. Under Malley’s watch, the U.S. ignored partners, emboldened enemies, and pushed away opportunities to reset regional alliances. Negotiations with Iran over the removal of sanctions strained American relations with Israel and Arab Gulf states while boosting Iran’s regional influence.
American standing has collapsed such that supreme leader Ali Khamenei now imposes intolerable conditions for a new agreement. Iran seeks to retain its nuclear facilities while simultaneously ending sanctions. Meanwhile, Iran refuses to fully commit to rejoining the JCPOA. Khamenei surely knows his demands are impossible to accept; he likely sees the administration negotiating from a position of weakness, looking to push the Biden administration into a corner and continue to draw out negotiations.
The process and the softening of stance often reflected Malley’s more progressive foreign policy philosophy, which is critical of traditional alliances and supportive of unconventional approaches. No one observing this should be surprised; this is consistent with his decades-long approach to the region.
Malley has been under fire for his soft approach in dealing with the regime amidst nationwide protests in Iran against the regime’s abuse of women. Last October, he embarrassed the United States when he decided to speak for the millions of Iranian protestors, claiming they sought to have Iran’s leaders “respect their human rights and dignity.” The protestors sought the overthrow of these leaders. At the time of Malley’s statement, these leaders – with whom Malley sought diplomacy and dealmaking – were brutalizing the protestors.
Malley’s fondness for Iranian hardliners was often hard to understand. Instead of approaching Tehran with an appropriate measure of skepticism and pressure, Malley seemed more interested in appeasement. This approach not only emboldened a regime known for its human rights abuses and support of terrorism but also failed to achieve any tangible concessions that could ensure the safety and security of the United States and its allies.
Ultimately, the U.S. gained nothing with any of this. Despite his public optimism and promises of diplomatic breakthroughs, Malley’s tenure achieved little more than stalled negotiations and elusive hopes. The pivotal issues plaguing the Middle East, including the Iranian nuclear threat, regional stability, and the threat of proxy forces, were never resolved.
The Middle East deserves an American policy prioritizing security, stability, and protecting American interests.
