US Iran envoy to visit Middle East this week ahead of Iran nuke talks

By Servet Gunerigok

WASHINGTON (AA) - US Special Envoy for Iran Robert Malley will lead an interagency team this week to the United Arab Emirates, Israel, Saudi Arabia and Bahrain, the State Department said Thursday.

Malley will "hold consultations with partners and attend a series of regional engagements," the agency said in a statement.

The Nov. 11 - 20 tour is taking place before nuclear talks between Iran and world powers are set to resume at the end of the end.

"He will coordinate our approaches on a broad range of concerns with Iran, including its destabilizing activities in the region and the upcoming seventh round of talks on a mutual return to full compliance with the JCPOA," said the statement, referring to Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action, or the Iran nuclear deal.

Iran and six world powers have been in talks since April to restore the 2015 nuclear deal.

The deal was terminated three years ago by former US President Donald Trump, who re-imposed sanctions that have severely hampered Iran's economy by drastically reducing its oil exports.

Iran and the EU earlier this week announced Nov. 29 as the date to resume talks in Vienna that have been stalled, ending months of uncertainty.

Since the election of Iran's new hard-line president Ebrahim Raisi in June, talks have halted. However, Ali Baqeri Kani, Iran's principal negotiator, announced earlier this month that his administration agreed to meet at the end of November.