President Biden faced renewed pressure to rethink his diplomatic outreach to Tehran after the Justice Department late Tuesday charged four Iranian intelligence officials with plotting …
President Biden faced renewed pressure to rethink his diplomatic outreach to Tehran after the Justice Department late Tuesday charged four Iranian intelligence officials with plotting to kidnap a U.S. journalist in New York City. The indictment unsealed Tuesday night is the latest complication for the Biden administration ‘s push to revive the 2015 deal with Iran to limit the Islamic republic’s nuclear program in exchange for economic sanctions relief. The White House has persisted in that effort despite continued provocative behavior by Iran, including the routine harassment of U.S. ships in the Persian Gulf and frequent rocket attacks by Iran-linked militias targeting American military personnel in the Middle East. Now faced with evidence from his own Justice Department that Iranian intelligence services are allegedly pursuing U.S. citizens on American soil, critics say the president must draw a line in the sand and get tough in his stance toward Iran. “This revelation serves as another reminder that the Biden administration bending over backwards to re-enter the [ Iran nuclear deal} is likely sacrificing our leverage to compel Iran to cease its other malign activities,” said Texas Rep. Michael McCaul, the ranking Republican on the House Foreign Affairs Committee. “This is a regime that holds American hostages and is actively trying to kidnap an American from the streets of New York. President Biden should not enter into any deals with Iran without an end to these assaults on our citizens.” Hadi Ghaemi, executive director of the dissident Center for Human Rights in Iran, said Wednesday the purported kidnap plot was not “an isolated incident.” Iranians critical of the regime “will continue to be targeted by state agents if the international community—particularly countries Iran is currently negotiating with such as the U.S. and in Europe—does not address Iran ’s worsening human rights record through sustained, comprehensive policies,” Mr.
