Blinken Sticks to Efforts for Reviving Iran Nuclear Deal

US Secretary of State Antony Blinken (Reuters)
US Secretary of State Antony Blinken (Reuters)
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Blinken Sticks to Efforts for Reviving Iran Nuclear Deal

US Secretary of State Antony Blinken (Reuters)
US Secretary of State Antony Blinken (Reuters)

US Secretary of State Antony Blinken reaffirmed on Tuesday that Washington still believes that reviving the nuclear deal with Tehran remains as “the best way to address the nuclear challenge posed by Iran.”

He stressed the US ability to curb Iran’s other malign activities.

Speaking to the Senate Committee on Foreign Relations, Blinken vowed to hold an open Iran hearing before Memorial Day, which falls at the end of May.

The Secretary also claimed that Iran’s nuclear breakout time went from a year “to a matter of weeks” due to the US withdrawal from the deal. “Iran is acting with more destabilizing effect throughout the region,” he said.

Blinken reiterated previous comments that the Biden administration inherited a “very challenging situation,” adding that they were “ramped up” by Iranian escalations.

“We continue to believe that getting back into compliance with the agreement would be the best way to address the nuclear challenge posed by Iran and to make sure that an Iran that is already acting with incredible aggression doesn't have a nuclear weapon,” Blinken told the Committee.

Turning to the increasing Iranian attacks on US forces in the region, Blinken spoke of two points.

The first point is that these activities would be much worse if Tehran obtained a nuclear weapon.

The second point is that the nuclear agreement with Iran will not affect the US ability and determination to pursue it with respect to hostilities and in coordination with allies.

Blinken stressed that the goal of the United States is that Iran does not obtain a nuclear weapon.

Sen. Ted Cruz (R-Texas) asked Blinken if it was true that the US conditions to remove the Revolutionary Guards from its terrorism list in exchange for Tehran giving up its revenge for the death of its Quds Force Commander Qassem Soleimani.

Blinken did not answer the question directly and instead recognized that there is an ongoing threat against US officials both present and past.

“Is it true the State Department is spending roughly $2 million a month to protect those affected?” Cruz asked, referring to an Associated Press report that revealed the State Department is paying that amount towards security for former Secretary of State Mike Pompeo and a former top aide.
“We are making — we will — we are making sure, and we will make sure for as long as it takes that we’re protecting our people, past and former if they’re, if they’re under threat,” Blinken responded.



Helene's Toll Reaches 200 as US Crews Try to Reach Most Remote Areas Hit Storm

A woman walks to her damaged home in the aftermath of Hurricane Helene, Thursday, Oct. 3, 2024, in Pensacola, N.C. (AP Photo/Mike Stewart)
A woman walks to her damaged home in the aftermath of Hurricane Helene, Thursday, Oct. 3, 2024, in Pensacola, N.C. (AP Photo/Mike Stewart)
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Helene's Toll Reaches 200 as US Crews Try to Reach Most Remote Areas Hit Storm

A woman walks to her damaged home in the aftermath of Hurricane Helene, Thursday, Oct. 3, 2024, in Pensacola, N.C. (AP Photo/Mike Stewart)
A woman walks to her damaged home in the aftermath of Hurricane Helene, Thursday, Oct. 3, 2024, in Pensacola, N.C. (AP Photo/Mike Stewart)

Hurricane Helene's death toll reached 200 on Thursday and could rise higher still, as searchers made their way toward the hardest to reach places in the mountains of western North Carolina.

Officials in Georgia and North Carolina added to their states' grim tallies, padding an overall count that has already made Helene the deadliest storm to hit the US mainland since Hurricane Katrina in 2005.

A week after the storm came ashore in Florida before carving a path of destruction through the Southeast, connections between friends, neighbors and even strangers have provided hope in the worst-affected areas.

Government cargo planes brought food and water to these areas and rescue crews waded through creeks searching for survivors, The Associated Press reported.

Helping one another in remote mountain areas, helicopters hoisted the stranded to safety while search crews moved toppled trees so they could look door to door for survivors. In some places, homes teetered on hillsides and washed-out riverbanks.
Electricity is being slowly restored, as the number of homes and businesses without power dipped below 1 million for the first time since last weekend, according to poweroutage.us. Most of the outages are in the Carolinas and Georgia, where Helene struck after barreling over Florida’s Gulf Coast on Sept. 26 as a Category 4 hurricane. Deaths have been reported in Florida, Georgia, Tennessee and Virginia, in addition to the Carolinas.