Brett McGurk, ‘Biden’s Strong Man’ in Concluding Hostage Swap Deal

Brett McGurk (left) during a meeting with former US President Barack Obama and retired General John Allen, Special Presidential Envoy for the Global Coalition to Combat ISIS, in the Oval Office, September 2014. (The White House)
Brett McGurk (left) during a meeting with former US President Barack Obama and retired General John Allen, Special Presidential Envoy for the Global Coalition to Combat ISIS, in the Oval Office, September 2014. (The White House)
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Brett McGurk, ‘Biden’s Strong Man’ in Concluding Hostage Swap Deal

Brett McGurk (left) during a meeting with former US President Barack Obama and retired General John Allen, Special Presidential Envoy for the Global Coalition to Combat ISIS, in the Oval Office, September 2014. (The White House)
Brett McGurk (left) during a meeting with former US President Barack Obama and retired General John Allen, Special Presidential Envoy for the Global Coalition to Combat ISIS, in the Oval Office, September 2014. (The White House)

Several political circles were optimistic about the possibility of concluding an imminent hostage swap deal, under which a large number of American and dual-national hostages would be released, in exchange for providing fuel to Gaza’s hospitals, increasing the number of humanitarian aid trucks, and opening the Rafah crossing for the stranded.

According to Axios, an American news website, Israeli and US officials pointed to the potential release of 80 women and children detained by Hamas, in exchange for Israel freeing Palestinian women and children held in Israeli prisons.

This news comes in line with statements made by Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Sunday to NBC News, in which he said that a deal with Hamas might be imminent.

Meanwhile, observers are awaiting the visit of Brett McGurk - a senior advisor to US President Joe Biden - to Israel, Saudi Arabia, Jordan and Qatar, which aims at achieving three decisive goals: first, to secure the completion of the hostage release deal; second, to pave the way for a longer humanitarian truce in Gaza, and third, to prevent the outbreak of a regional war.

McGurk is seen as Biden’s strong man on difficult issues in the Middle East. He is a well-known figure in American political circles, and he participated with US National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan during the past weeks in efforts to release the hostages held by Hamas. He was also present within the US National Security team in every call Biden made with Israeli, Egyptian, and Qatari officials.

McGurk has been involved in politics since the era of former US President George Bush, and also during the eight years of President Barack Obama and the tenure of President Donald Trump. Under Biden, he assumed the position of Coordinator for Middle East and North Africa Affairs in the National Security Council.

His close relationship with Biden began during Obama’s tenure, when he was in charge of the Iraqi file. He assumed the position of US ambassador to Baghdad from 2012 to 2015, then became the special presidential envoy for the US-led global coalition to confront ISIS.

In this “sensitive” position, McGurk made dozens of trips to countries in the region, especially to Syria, Iraq, and the Gulf states. He was responsible for coordinating the joint effort against ISIS and directing some intelligence operations.

The US diplomat strongly supported the opinion in favor of maintaining an American military presence in the region, especially in Syria and Iraq, to confront the potential re-emergence of ISIS and also to counter the growing Iranian influence. He also supported the idea of an alliance between the American and Kurdish forces, despite Ankara’s anger at this rapprochement.

McGurk’s role was clearly demonstrated in managing the US administration’s relations with Middle Eastern countries, especially in the discussions and deliberations that took place in preparation for Biden’s visit to Saudi Arabia last year, and in bringing viewpoints closer and restoring warmth to relations between the two countries.



Grossi Wants to Meet with Iran’s Pezeshkian ‘at Earliest Convenience’

International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) Director General Rafael Grossi speaks to the media at the Dupont Circle Hotel in Washington, US, March 15, 2023. (Reuters)
International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) Director General Rafael Grossi speaks to the media at the Dupont Circle Hotel in Washington, US, March 15, 2023. (Reuters)
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Grossi Wants to Meet with Iran’s Pezeshkian ‘at Earliest Convenience’

International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) Director General Rafael Grossi speaks to the media at the Dupont Circle Hotel in Washington, US, March 15, 2023. (Reuters)
International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) Director General Rafael Grossi speaks to the media at the Dupont Circle Hotel in Washington, US, March 15, 2023. (Reuters)

Director General of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) Rafael Grossi announced he intends to visit Tehran through a letter he addressed to Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian.

Iranian Mehr Agency reported that Grossi sent a congratulatory message to the Iranian president-elect, which stated: “I would like to extend my heartfelt congratulations to you on your election win as President of the Islamic Republic of Iran.”

“Cooperation between the International Atomic Energy Agency and the Islamic Republic of Iran has been at the focal attention of the international circles for many years. I am confident that, together, we will be able to make decisive progress on this crucial matter.”

“To that effect, I wish to express my readiness to travel to Iran to meet with you at the earliest convenience,” Iran’s Mehr news agency quoted Grossi as saying.

The meeting – should it take place - will be the first for Pezeshkian, who had pledged during his election campaign to be open to the West to resolve outstanding issues through dialogue.

Last week, American and Israeli officials told the Axios news site that Washington sent a secret warning to Tehran last month regarding its fears of Iranian research and development activities that might be used to produce nuclear weapons.

In May, Grossi expressed his dissatisfaction with the course of the talks he held over two days in Iran in an effort to resolve outstanding matters.

Since the death of the former Iranian president, Ibrahim Raisi, the IAEA chief refrained from raising the Iranian nuclear file, while European sources said that Tehran had asked to “freeze discussions” until the internal situation was arranged and a new president was elected.