Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi is shown at an election campaign rally in Eslamshahr, Iran, on June 6, 2021. Raisi, who was elected in June, is key to revival of a deal with other nations over its nuclear program. Since then, the U.S. has targeted the Iranian economy with punishing sanctions; Tehran, in turn, has ramped up its nuclear activities. Robert Malley, the U.S. special envoy for Iran, blamed Tehran for spending months stalling. In such a gray area, U.S. sanctions aren’t lifted but are selectively enforced, and Iran doesn’t rush toward building a nuclear weapon.

Source: Los Angeles Times October 30, 2021 18:04 UTC