OPINION: This article may contain commentary which reflects the author's opinion.
State Department spokesman Ned Price got blistered this week during a tense exchange with an Associated Press reporter.
During a press briefing, Price after became visibly irritated when AP reporter Matt Lee pressed him about why the Biden administration claimed its recent decision to waive sanctions on Iran was not a concession.
“That long list of things that you said these waivers give, you’re saying that there is no benefit to Iran in any of that?” Lee asked.
Price replied that the benefit was that of non-proliferation “for us.”
When Lee pressed again if there was any benefit to Iran, Price interrupted and told him, “You don’t need to raise your voice.”
The Biden administration announced Friday that it would be seeking a “return to the status quo” by waiving sanctions on Iran imposed by the Trump administration.
The State Department claimed that waiving sanctions would “facilitate discussions” that would allow Iran and the United States to return back to the commitments agreed to in the Iran Nuclear Deal.
The move would also allow foreign countries and companies from Russia, China, and Europe to cooperate with Iran in assisting the non-military parts of Iran’s nuclear program under the terms of the 2015 deal, something Lee pointed out later in the exchange.
“Who do you think this benefits, just you?” Lee asked.
“We know this is a benefit to us. The ability of third-party entities to work on nuclear non-proliferation projects, nuclear safety projects in Iran, in the face of our growing concerns … that is to our benefit,” Price responded.
“The people that this benefits, in fact, are actually Russian and Chinese and European companies. Right? Is that what you’re saying?” Lee pressed.
“Matt, what I am saying is … it benefits us to be able to address nuclear safety and nuclear non-proliferation concerns in Iran,” Price said.
WATCH:
WATCH: Reporter calls out State Department Spokesman Ned Price for denying that Iran benefits from Biden lifting sanctions.
"Who do you think this benefits, just you?" pic.twitter.com/SjAaep8sBZ
— RNC Research (@RNCResearch) February 8, 2022
This is the second time in a week that Lee has confronted Price.
Last Thursday, Price was not happy when Lee pressed him on reports that Russia was planning a false flag propaganda video to use as a pretext for invading Ukraine.
Below is a transcript of the full exchange:
LEE: Thanks. Okay, well, that’s quite a mouthful there. So you said “actions such as these suggest otherwise” – suggest meaning that they suggest they’re not interested in talks and they’re going to go ahead with some kind of a – what action are you talking about?
PRICE: One, the actions I have just pointed to, the fact –
LEE: What action? What —
PRICE: The fact that Russia continues to engage in disinformation campaigns.
LEE: Well no, you’ve made an allegation that they might do that. Have they actually done it?
PRICE: What we know, Matt, is what we – what I have just said, that they have engaged in this activity, in this planning activity —
LEE: Well, engage in what – hold on a second. What activity?
PRICE: But let me – let me – because obviously this is not – this is not the first time we’ve made these reports public. You’ll remember that just a few weeks ago –
LEE: I’m sorry, made what report public?
PRICE: If you let me finish, I will tell you what report we made public.
LEE: Okay.
PRICE: We told you a few weeks ago that we have information indicating Russia also has already pre-positioned a group of operatives to conduct a false flag operation in eastern Ukraine. So that, Matt, to your Lee, is an action that Russia has already taken.
LEE: No, it’s an action that you say that they have taken, but you have shown no evidence to confirm that. And I’m going to get to the next Lee here, which is: What is the evidence that they – I mean, this is – like, crisis actors? Really? This is like Alex Jones territory you’re getting into now. What evidence do you have to support the idea that there is some propaganda film in the making?
WATCH: Heated exchange between @APDiploWriter Matt Lee and @StateDeptSpox Ned Price on declassified information. pic.twitter.com/8TFJdSW4M6
— CSPAN (@cspan) February 3, 2022
PRICE: Matt, this is derived from information known to the U.S. Government, intelligence information that we have declassified. I think you know —
LEE: Okay, well, where is it? Where is this information?
PRICE: It is intelligence information that we have declassified.
LEE: Well, where is it? Where is the declassified information?
PRICE: I just delivered it.
LEE: No, you made a series of allegations and statements —
PRICE: Would you like us to print out the topper? Because you will see a transcript of this briefing that you can print out for yourself.
LEE: But that’s not evidence, Ned. That’s you saying it. That’s not evidence. I’m sorry.
PRICE: What would you like, Matt?
LEE: I would like to see some proof that you – that you can show that —
PRICE: Matt, you have been —
LEE: — that shows that the Russians are doing this.
PRICE: You —
LEE: Ned, I’ve been doing this for a long time, as you know.
PRICE: I know. That was my point. You have been doing this for quite a while.
LEE: I have.
PRICE: You know that when we declassify intelligence, we do so in a means —
LEE: That’s right. And I remember WMDs in Iraq, and I —
PRICE: — we do so with an eye to protecting sources and methods.
LEE: And I remember that Kabul was not going to fall. I remember a lot of things. So where is the declassified information other than you coming out here and saying it?
PRICE: Matt, I’m sorry you don’t like the format, but we have —
LEE: It’s not the format. It’s the content.
PRICE: I’m sorry you don’t like the content. I’m sorry you —
LEE: It’s not that I don’t like it or —
PRICE: I’m sorry you are doubting the information that is in the possession of the U.S. Government.
LEE: No, I —
PRICE: What I’m telling you is that this is information that’s available to us. We are making it available to you in order – for a couple reasons. One is to attempt to deter the Russians from going ahead with this activity. Two, in the event we’re not able to do that, in the event the Russians do go ahead with this, to make it clear as day, to lay bare the fact that this has always been an attempt on the part of the Russian Federation to fabricate a pretext.
LEE: Yes, but you don’t have any evidence to back it up other than what you’re saying. It’s like you’re saying, “We think – we have information the Russians may do this,” but you won’t tell us what the information is. And then when you’re asked —
PRICE: Well, that is the idea behind deterrence, Matt. That is the idea behind deterrence.
LEE: When you’re asked – and when you’re asked —
PRICE: It is our hope that the Russians don’t go forward with this.
LEE: And when you’re asked what the information is, you say, “I just gave it to you.” But that’s not what —
PRICE: You seem not to understand —
LEE: That’s not the way it works.
PRICE: You seem not to understand the idea of deterrence.
LEE: No, no, no, Ned. You don’t – you seem not to understand the idea of —
PRICE: We are trying to deter the Russians from moving forward with this type of activity. That is why we are making it public today. If the Russians don’t go forward with this, that is not ipso facto an indication that they never had plans to do so.
LEE: But then it’s unprovable. I mean, my God, what is the evidence that you have that suggests that the Russians are even planning this?
PRICE: Matt, you —
LEE: I mean, I’m not saying that they’re not. But you just come out and say this and expect us just to believe it without you showing a shred of evidence that it’s actually true – other than when I ask or when anyone else asks what’s the information, you said, well, I just gave it to you, which was just you making a statement.
PRICE: Matt, you said yourself you’ve been in this business for quite a long time. You know that when we make information – intelligence information public we do so in a way that protects sensitive sources and methods. You also know that we do so – we declassify information – only when we’re confident in that information.
LEE: But Ned, you haven’t given any information.
PRICE: If you doubt – if you doubt the credibility of the U.S. Government, of the British Government, of other governments, and want to find solace in the information that the Russians are putting out —
LEE: Solace?
PRICE: — that is for you to do.
LEE: I don’t want – I’m not asking what the Russian Government is putting out. And what do you – what is that supposed to mean?
