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Iran’s Election Unsettles Biden’s Hope For A Nuclear Deal

Published

4 years ago

June 22, 2021

Biden administration officials are insisting that the election of a hard-liner as Iran’s president won’t affect prospects for reviving the faltering 2015 nuclear deal with Tehran. But there are already signs that their goal of locking in a deal just got tougher.

Optimism that a deal was imminent faded as the latest talks ended Sunday without tangible indications of significant progress. And on Monday, in his first public comments since the vote, incoming Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi rejected a key Biden goal of expanding on the nuclear deal if negotiators are able to salvage the old one.

At the same time, Raisi is likely to raise Iran’s demands for sanctions relief in return for Iranian compliance with the deal, as he himself is already subject to U.S. human rights penalties.

“I don’t envy the Biden team,” said Karim Sadjapour, a senior fellow at the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace who has advised multiple U.S. administrations on Iran. “I think the administration now has a heightened sense of urgency to revise the deal before Raisi and a new hard-line team is inaugurated.”

President Joe Biden and his team have made a U.S. return to the deal one of their top foreign policy priorities. The deal was one of President Barack Obama’s signature achievements, one that aides now serving in the Biden administration had helped negotiate and that Donald Trump repudiated and tried to dismantle as president.

Despite Raisi’s impending presidency, Biden administration officials insist prospects for reaching an agreement are unaltered. They argue that Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, who signed off on the 2015 deal known as the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action, or JCPOA, will make any final decisions regardless of who is president.

“The president’s view and our view is that the decision leader is the supreme leader,” White House press secretary Jen Psaki said Monday. “That was the case before the election; it’s the case today; it will be the case probably moving forward.”

“Iran will have, we expect, the same supreme leader in August as it will have today, as it had before the elections, as it had in 2015 when the JCPOA was consummated for the first time,” State Department spokesman Ned Price said.

But hopes for substantial progress fizzled last week ahead of the Iranian election amid a flurry of speculation about the impact of the vote on the indirect talks between Iran and the U.S. in Vienna. Diplomats and others familiar with the talks had thought the last round, the sixth, could produce at least a tangible result even if it fell short of a full deal.

Now, that round has ended and a seventh round has yet to be scheduled as Raisi, Iran’s conservative judiciary chief, brandished an absolute rejection of anything more than Iran’s bare minimum compliance with the 2015 agreement in exchange for a lifting all of U.S. sanctions.

In his public comments Monday, Raisi brushed aside U.S. calls for Iran to agree to follow-on discussions on expanding the initial nuclear deal to include its ballistic missile program and its support for regional groups that the U.S. designates terrorist organizations.

“It’s nonnegotiable,” Raisi said’

Iran experts agree it will be a tough, if not impossible, for Biden to get Iran to go beyond the nuclear agreement.

“I’m very skeptical that once we’ve lifted the sanctions to get them to return they’ll feel any incentive to come back and negotiate more concessions,” Sadjapour said. “And, if we coerce them with sanctions to come back to the table, they’ll argue that we’ve abrogated our end of the nuclear deal. Again.”

Critics of the nuclear deal maintain that the administration has already given away too much in exchange for too little by signaling its desire to repudiate Trump’s repudiation of the nuclear deal. And, they say that even if Iran agrees to some sort of additional talks, the pledge will be meaningless.

“It was pretty obvious that the Iranians were never gong to negotiate in good faith beyond the JCPOA,” said Rich Goldberg, a Trump administration National Security Council official who has espoused a hard line on Iran.

“But now, even if the administration gets some sort of face-saving language from the Iranians about future talks, Raisi has already said they’re not interested. The jig is up,” he said. “You can’t come back to a skeptical Congress, allies and deal opponents and say the promise means anything it means when Raisi has already said it doesn’t.”

But administration officials are adamant that as good as the nuclear deal is, it is insufficient and must be improved on.

“We do see a return to compliance as necessary but insufficient, but we also do see a return to compliance as enabling us to take on those other issues diplomatically,” Price said, adding that the point had been made clear to the the Iranians “in no uncertain terms.”

An additional complication is that Raisi will become the first serving Iranian president sanctioned by the U.S. government even before entering office, in part over his time as the head of Iran’s internationally criticized judiciary — a situation that could complicate state visits and speeches at international forums such as the United Nations.

Psaki and Price both said that the U.S. will continue to hold Raisi accountable for human rights violations for which he was sanctioned by the Trump administration.

Trump withdrew from the nuclear deal in 2018 and set about a “maximum pressure” campaign on Iran that included re-instating all the sanctions eased under the agreement along with adding a host of new ones.

(AP)

Related Topics:Biden Election Iran Nuclear Weapon

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Nigerian Don Bags US Varsity Elite Research Fellowship

Published

2 hours ago

September 5, 2025

Editor

A Nigerian scholar, Raphael Ebiefung, has been awarded the prestigious Grace Jordan McFadden Professor Programme Fellowship at the University of South Carolina.

A statement issued by the Institution noted that the “highly competitive fellowship” recognises academic leaders who advance knowledge and address pressing social challenges.

Ebiefung, a doctoral researcher and a one-time assistant lecturer and librarian at Top-Faith University, Nigeria, who specialises in human-AI interaction and information behaviour, is expected to join “an elite group of scholars shaping the future of higher education and interdisciplinary inquiry,” the University said.

Ebiefung, in a statement made available to The PUNCH on Friday, described the award as a “milestone that underscores Nigeria’s capacity to produce world-class scholars.”

He said, “I am deeply honoured to receive the Grace Jordan McFadden Fellowship. It is a testament to the resilience and potential of young Nigerian academics striving to make a global impact.

“My research seeks to understand the dynamics of human behaviour in relation to AI systems. This area is critical as we move deeper into the digital age,” he explained.

Nigerian scholars have continued to leave an impressive intellectual footprint across the world.

The PUNCH reported how, in August, a Nigerian scientist, Deborah Agbakwuru, was awarded the prestigious Besancon scholarship at the University of Montana.

The scholarship is one of the most distinguished graduate recognitions at the university and is awarded annually to an outstanding researcher in the biological, physical, and mathematical sciences.

Similarly, Nigerian-born researcher, Peter Ngene, won a €2m grant from the European Research Council for his project in 2024.

Ngene, an associate professor at the Debye Institute for Nanomaterials Science, was among seven researchers from Utrecht University, the Netherlands, who won the grant. According to a statement by his university, Ngene’s work focused on the “interface-mediated fast ionic conductivity in nanocomposite solid-state electrolytes.”

He said the goal was to unravel the reason why the ionic conductivity of certain solids can increase or decrease by thousands of fold at their interface with other solids.

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NBA Drags IGP Egbetokun To Court Over Tinted Glass Permit Policy

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4 hours ago

September 5, 2025

Editor

The Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) has filed a lawsuit against the Inspector General of Police, Kayode Egbetokun, challenging the legality of the Nigeria Police Force’s tinted glass permit policy.

The lawsuit, instituted on Wednesday, September 2, 2025, before the Federal High Court in Abuja, comes months after the IGP introduced a directive requiring motorists to apply for and renew tinted glass permits annually through a digital platform, for a fee.

In a statement released Friday, the NBA described the policy as unlawful, unconstitutional, and lacking transparency. It also raised concerns that proceeds from the exercise were being paid into a private account rather than the Federation Account.

“Despite the extension of enforcement to October 2, 2025, several motorists have reported harassment and extortion by policemen at checkpoints on the basis of this policy,” the association said, warning that it infringes on citizens’ rights to privacy, freedom of movement, and dignity.

The NBA also questioned the validity of the Motor Tinted Glass (Prohibition) Act of 1991, a military-era law under which the police has anchored the policy, stressing that it may not meet constitutional tests required in a democratic society.

The action was filed by the NBA’s Section on Public Interest and Development Law (SPIDEL), led by Prof. Paul Ananaba (SAN) and Olukunle Ogheneovo Edun (SAN). The association vowed to pursue the case “to a logical conclusion.”

READ THE FULL STATEMENT BELOW:

THE NIGERIAN BAR ASSOCIATION CHALLENGES THE LEGALITY OF THE POLICE TINTED GLASS PERMIT POLICY OF THE NIGERIA POLICE FORCE

One of the key resolutions of the National Executive Council of the Nigerian Bar Association at its pre-conference NEC meeting held on the 23rd day of August 2025 in Enugu is that the NBA should challenge the legality of the Nigeria Police Force tinted permit policy in court.

In April 2025, the Inspector General of Police purportedly introduced a policy which mandated members of the Nigerian motoring public to apply for and obtain annual motor tinted glass permits from the Nigeria Police Force for a fee. The Inspector General of Police in the same month purportedly launched a digital portal (http://possap.gov.ng) through which the application for tinted glass permits were to be processed. We are being informed that the portal and the policy are to be managed by a private vendor, and there is no indication that the funds generated from the enforcement of the purported policy will go into the Federation Account.

The Inspector General of Police initially pegged the date of commencement of the enforcement of the Policy to the 1st day of June 2025, but subsequently extended the date to the 2nd day of October 2025.

Despite the fact that the date of commencement of the enforcement of the purported policy has been extended to the 2nd day of October 2025, there have been several reported cases of harassment and extortion of citizens by the Policemen in checkpoint duty on the basis of this same Policy, thus raising serious concerns of threats to and violation of citizens’ fundamental rights to dignity of human person, right to privacy, right to freedom of movement and the right to own movable property guaranteed as by the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria 1999, as amended.

Furthermore, the introduction and proposed enforcement of the tinted glass permit Policy has raised several other genuine concerns, including the validity of the Motor Tinted Glass (Prohibition) Act (Decree 1991), a military-era law under which the Police has sought refuge. A critical scrutiny of the Act would confirm concerns that the legislation may be unable to satisfy the test of a law reasonably justifiable in a democratic society under Section 45 of the 1999 Constitution as to justify reliance on it to deprive citizens of their rights to privacy and free movement.

Moreover, the fact that the legislation does not make provision for renewal of tinted glass permits or payment of fees for renewal are serious issues which clearly reveal that the Policy lacks statutory foundation.

Furthermore, that payment for the permit is being made into a private account: PARKWAY PROJECTS Account No: 4001017918 raises serious concerns of transparency surrounding the utilisation of funds realised from the exercise, given that the account is neither domiciled with the Central Bank of Nigeria nor associated with the Treasury Single Account of the Federal Government of Nigeria.

Against the above backdrop, the Nigerian Bar Association, through its Section on Public Interest and Development Law (SPIDEL) has on Wednesday the 2nd September 2025 instituted a public interest action before the Federal High Court, Abuja in Suit No: FHC/ABJ/CS/182/2025 between: The Incorporated Trustees of the Nigerian Bar Association v. The Inspector General of Police & Anor essentially challenging the legality of the tinted glass permit policy.

The NBA-SPIDEL, under the leadership of its Transition Committee Chairman, Prof. Paul Ananaba, SAN and the Section’s Public Interest Litigation Committee, chaired by Mr. Olukunle Ogheneovo Edun, SAN, whose proactive efforts were responsible for the accomplishment of this task, have been directed to pursue this litigation to a logical conclusion.

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Peju Ogunmola’s Family Breaks Silence On Cause Of Son’s Death

Published

4 hours ago

September 5, 2025

Editor

The family of veteran actress, Peju Ogunmola, has spoken out for the first time following the passing of the actress’ only son, Sola Ayomikun Omobolanle, dismissing rumours about the circumstances of his death.

Tribune Online reports that Ayomikun, the 24-year-old son of Ogunmola and her husband, comic actor Sunday Omobolanle, popularly known as Aluwe, died on September 2, 2025.

Shortly after the news broke, unverified reports surfaced online alleging that his death was linked to a bathroom accident — claims the family has now categorically denied.

In a statement signed by Yemi Amodu on behalf of the Ogunmola family, they clarified that Ayomikun passed away in a hospital in Ibadan after a brief illness, not from any accident.

The statement read: “It is with deep sorrow that we announce the passing of our beloved son, Sola Ayomikun Omobolanle, a jewel, a precious child, and a rising star whose light shone brightly and touched many lives.

“We wish to clearly state that Sola did not pass away as a result of any bathroom accident, contrary to false reports being circulated online. He was briefly unwell and, during this period, received first-class medical care. Despite the best efforts of the medical team, he peacefully answered the call of his Creator.”

The family further condemned the speculation surrounding his death, describing it as painful and disrespectful.

“These misleading stories, suggesting that Sola died from a fall in the bathroom without help, are entirely false. They not only dishonour his memory but also bring unnecessary pain to his loved ones,” the statement added.

According to the family, Ayomikun has since been laid to rest at Eternal Rest Home in Ibadan, surrounded by relatives and close friends.

They also expressed appreciation for the support received during their period of mourning:

“At this time of grief, we are deeply grateful for the outpouring of love, prayers, and support we have received from family, friends, colleagues, and well-wishers. Your kindness has been a source of strength and comfort. We pray that no family will ever have to endure the pain of untimely loss. May the Almighty grant Sola eternal rest and grant us all the fortitude to bear this irreparable loss.”