Antony Blinken

He stressed that the United States should not lift terrorism sanctions on Tehran or unfreeze assets belonging to Iran in order for the Islamic Republic to come to the negotiating table.

U.S. Secretary of State nominee Tony Blinken said America should not lift terrorism sanctions on Tehran or unfreeze its assets in order for the Islamic Republic to come to the negotiating table. He also affirmed that Jerusalem is Israel’s capital and that the U.S. embassy will stay put.

Rep. Rashida Tlaib (D-Mich.) says she is fine with Anthony Blinken as long as he doesn’t “suppress her First Amendment right” to criticize the Israeli prime minister’s “racist and inhumane policies.”

While Middle East analysts say Biden is building a team of people in whom he trusts, can rely on and can work together as a team, a good deal of concern centers on whether U.S. foreign policy will look too much like it did during the Obama administration.