Trump's hawkish Iran envoy oversees new diplomat hires, media report

Donald Trump’s former special envoy for Iran is managing the president-elect's hiring for the state department, US news outlets reported, likely signaling a tough policy on Iran.

Former top State Department official Brian Hook was the target of an Iranian assassination attempt according to the FBI, leading to a beefed up security detail from the US secret service.

Hook is now expected to lead Trump’s transition team at the state department, CNN reported citing three sources familiar with the matter. Politico and the Guardian confirmed the reports.

Departing office in 2020, Hook had held out hope of diplomatic success over Iran's disputed nuclear program despite Trump’s departure from an international deal aimed at checking Tehran's progress toward a bomb.

Hook championed Trump’s heavy sanctions which hit Iran's economy and the government's finances as Trump tried to squeeze the country into submission.

“Sometimes it’s the journey and sometimes it’s the destination. In the case of our Iran strategy, it’s both. We would like a new deal with the regime. But in the meantime, our pressure has collapsed their finances,” he told the New York Times on his departure.

“By almost every metric, the regime and its terrorist proxies are weaker than three and a half years ago. Deal or no deal, we have been very successful,” he added. Iran and its armed allies across the region have been locked in conflict with US ally Israel and the administration of US President Joe Biden winds down.

Trump’s comeback has been met with caution in Iran and could mean the return of sanctions and deeper conflict.

“For Iran, it means one thing, maximum pressure,” said Jonathan Schanzer, senior vice president for research at the Foundation for the Defense of Democracies.

In addition to sanctions and withdrawing from the nuclear deal, Trump risked Iranian retaliation to assassinate Qassem Soleimani, a top Iranian military commander who had led the Islamic Republic's foreign military operations.

The drone strike which killed him in Iraq, earned Trump and his aides lasting enmity from Tehran and put Hook alongside them on an Iranian kill list, according to US law enforcement.

In March, the FBI announced it was seeking an Iranian national accused of plotting the killings of current and former US officials, including Hook.

Jason Brodsky, policy director at United Against a Nuclear Iran, told Iran International: “Personnel is policy and I think Brian heading transition efforts at the State Department is a signal that the incoming Trump administration will be reassessing US Iran policy and reviving a maximum pressure approach, which was very successful.”

Hook’s legacy leaves Iran experts such as Brodsky open to his return, while the State Department continues to put out fires from last year’s abrupt dismissal of Iran envoy Robert Malley, who accused of mishandling secret files on Iran. Details remain undisclosed amid multiple investigations, including by the FBI.

“Brian led a creative and strong Iran team when he was US special representative, and I'm pleased to see he will be involved in the transition,” Brodsky added.

Reuel Marc Gerecht, a former Iranian-targets officer in the CIA, was more cautious, however. He told Iran International: "Doing the transition isn’t doing Iran. I assume that Brian, if he is in charge of Iran policy at State [Department] would advocate what he advocated last time round. The most important questions about the nuclear program would be decided in the Oval Office."

Along with Hook, Politico reported the return of other hawks including Mark Paoletta coming in to lead transition plans for the Justice Department and former Trade Representative Robert Lighthizer dubbed to head up Trump’s economic team.