Former US Ambassador to Israel Dan Shapiro has joined the State Department’s Iran team as a senior adviser, according to a senior State Department official.
The appointment is significant given that Israel is pressing the Biden administration to start discussing a “Plan B” in case diplomacy with Iran fails.
Shapiro, who has a personal relationship with many Israeli officials, including Prime Minister Naftali Bennett, is equipped to play a key role in any such talks
His portfolio will be the regional aspects of the Iranian issue and coordination with Israel, according to Ravid’s report.
Shapiro was in Washington ahead of the Biden-Bennett meeting and advised the State Department on several issues, though he did not meet the Israeli delegation, a source familiar with the issue said.
State Department officials say Shapiro will spend half of his time in Washington and half in Israel, where he’ll work out of the US embassy.
One of his main missions will be to engage in discussions with the Prime Minister’s office, foreign ministry and ministry of defense to enhance coordination and allow a more intimate dialogue about Iran.
Iran has gradually scaled back its compliance with the 2015 deal in response to Trump’s withdrawal from the agreement in May of 2018, but has been holding indirect talks with the US on a return to the deal.
While the Islamic Republic has been holding indirect talks with the Biden administration on a return to the agreement, it recently paused the talks and announced they will not resume before the new Iranian government takes office.
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