Elliot Abrams appointed US Special Envoy to Iran

 Brian Hook, US special envoy, who has been overseeing the last 3 and a half years of US hostility towards Iran has resigned. No official reason has been announced for his resignation.

Some reports suggest that the resignation is related to the US pushing next week for an arms embargo on Iran. The US move is expected to fail. Hook is being replaced by Elliot Abrams.

Hook described his time as envoy to Iran as a success. He pointed out that although there were no successful negotiations during his tenure the US had severely damaged the Iranian economy through sanctions and he left Iran weaker than when his term began. Abrams is likely to keep up the constant bellicosity towards Iran characteristic of Hook's tenure as envoy.

Elliot Abrams

Abrams has served in foreign policy positions under the presidencies of Ronald Reagan, George W. Bush, and now Donald Trump.

He is regarded a a Neo-conservative. During the Reagan administration he was involved in the Iran-Contra scandal as described on the appended video. In 1991 he was convicted of two charges of unlawfully withholding information from Congress but was later pardoned by George H. W. Bush.

Abrams was also associated with a failed coup against form Venezuelan president Hugo Chavez.

Trump appointed Abrams as special representative to Venezuela. As a recent article notes: "Under Trump, Elliot was slated to return to his roots in taking on socialist leaders in Latin America. His appointment came just two days after Trump announced the U.S. would recognize opposition-controlled National Assembly leader Juan Guaidó as acting leader of Venezuela, severing ties with President Nicolás Maduro in January of last year."

So far the Maduro regime has been able to successfully resist the Guaido coup attempt supported by Abrams and the US. No doubt the same type of maximum pressure campaign will be used against Iran. Although the US claims that its aim in Iran is not regime change as in Venezuela the tactics involved will certainly cause the present Iranian regime economic problems that will no doubt cause political difficulties within Iran and could very well facilitate regime change.

The US wants the UN arms embargo on Iran to be extended after it runs out this fall. Abrams is no doubt seen as someone who can help make that happen..

Previously published in the Digital Journal