Iranian Influence Cell ‘Operating at the Biden Administration’s Highest Levels,’ Legal Watchdog Says
Adam Kredo
October 25, 2023
A pro-Iran influence cell appears to be "operating at the Biden administration’s highest levels," endangering U.S. national security, according to a legal watchdog group that seeks to determine if senior U.S. officials were compromised by Tehran’s hardline government.
America First Legal, a group of conservative lawyers, initiated on Tuesday a probe into Biden administration Iran envoy Robert Malley, who had his security clearance yanked earlier this year amid allegations he mishandled classified information, and senior Pentagon official Ariane Tabatabai, a Malley associate identified in recent reports as a member of an Iranian-government influence operation.
The organization filed Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) requests with the State Department and Pentagon seeking records relating to communications both Malley and Tabatabai may have had with the Iranian regime, according to copies of the documents obtained exclusively by the Washington Free Beacon. American First Legal also petitioned the Justice Department to determine if Tabatabai should register as a foreign agent, alleging her role "in a covert Iranian influence campaign" indicates she may have lobbied U.S. policy makers on Tehran’s behalf without disclosing this work.
