House Republicans have sent a letter to Secretary of State Antony Blinken asking for details about Robert Malley, who has been suspended from his position as special envoy to Iran after being accused of being linked to an alleged “Iranian spy ring.”
It has been clear for some time that Malley is a “known Iranian sympathizer,” but the true extent of his connection to the terrorist-supporting nation was not discovered until recently — when the FBI began a criminal investigation into the special envoy to Iran over his alleged mishandling of classified documents and his alleged connection to an “Iranian spy ring” that was attempting to shift U.S. policy to favor Iran.
REMINDER: Rob Malley — Biden's handpicked special envoy to Iran — remains under investigation for mishandling classified documents and allegedly aiding an Iranian-backed influence operation in the United States pic.twitter.com/vNnF1gLdcP
— RNC Research (@RNCResearch) October 10, 2023
In the letter to Blinken, House Oversight Committee Chairman Rep. James Comer (R-KY) and Rep. Glenn Grothman (R-WI) requested the secretary of state hand over State Department communications involving Malley and his security clearance.
“The Committee on Oversight and Accountability is investigating the Biden Administration’s efforts to conceal details about its ongoing secret nuclear negotiations with the Islamic Republic of Iran from Congress, ignoring statutory obligations for congressional oversight,” the Republican congressmen wrote. “The Administration’s lack of transparency is even more troubling in light of press reports about Iran’s direct role in this weekend’s horrific attack on Israel by Hamas and additional revelations that former Special Envoy for Iran (SEI), Robert Malley, and members of his negotiating team may have had compromising ties to the Iranian regime.”
Malley is currently under investigation over allegations that he advanced several operatives in the Iranian spy ring — including Ariane Tabatabai, an alleged Iranian asset who Malley helped to infiltrate her way into the State Department and Pentagon.
“The ongoing investigation into Mr. Malley’s security violations are so serious that he was suspended from his position without pay. Further, the investigation was initially hidden from Congress, the American people, and even his fellow State Department officials,” the House Republicans’ letter read.
Comer and Grothman went on to demand State Department communications and documents related to whether officials were aware of “Malley’s relationships with Iranian regime officials and senior members of Iran’s proxy groups” when reviewing his security clearance for the position of special envoy to Iran.
The GOP congressmen also requested documents about government discussions of Malley and his access to classified information — along with a list of individuals who were present during discussions about American hostages in Iran.
🚨NEW🚨 @GOPoversight is launching an investigation into the Biden Administration’s efforts to conceal details about its ongoing secret nuclear negotiations with the Islamic Republic of Iran from Congress.
Read👇 https://t.co/ij6MNQjgfV
— Rep. James Comer (@RepJamesComer) October 11, 2023
In September, the Biden administration made a deal to unfreeze $6 billion in Iranian assets and release five Iranian prisoners in exchange for five Americans being held hostage in Iran. This move has garnered backlash for the Biden administration, especially in light of Iran supporting and allegedly aiding Hamas terrorists in their attack on Israel over the weekend.
