The Cable, Monday:
He wasn't unveiled at the Obama/Biden/Hillary Clinton envoy roll-out event at Foggy Bottom last week, but State Department sources tell The Cable that former Middle East peace negotiator Dennis Ross has indeed been tapped as the U.S. envoy to Iran..."
The New York Times, today:
The administration is expected to name Dennis B. Ross, a longtime Middle East peace negotiator, to a senior post handling Iran, according to State Department officials. That Mr. Ross was not at the same meeting as Mr. Mitchell surprised some people who follow Iranian issues, given how long his appointment had been rumored. But officials said Mr. Ross was at the State Department on Monday."
Presumably they might soon make it official?
UPDATE: Politico's Ben Smith notes another sign: "United Against Nuclear Iran thanks Ambassadors Holbrooke and Ross for their commitment, service, and leadership and we congratulate them on their recent appointments to the Department of State." (Jim Lobe noted the United congratulations a few days ago.)
UPDATE II: Maybe not? A contact says that CSIS's Jon Alterman told listeners to a BBC radio talk show Thursday that his sources within the administration indicate that Ross is NOT going to be named special envoy to Iran.
TGIF/Just-Appoint-Somebody-Already UPDATE: The mothership paper's WhoRunsGov Plum Line's Greg Sargent reports that Ross Iran appointment still on track. And you thought the Iranian power centers were complicated!
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