A new report from the State Department inspector general says Iran envoy Robert Malley may have participated in a “classified conference call” with the White House after his security clearance was suspended.
The State Department’s Office of Inspector General did not interview Malley and could not confirm whether he was on the call, but his aide told White House officials that “Rob would be conducting the call” and that Malley “had access to the controlled office where the call was supposed to take place.”
At the time of the call, Malley’s credentials had been suspended amid allegations of misconduct, though he had not yet been notified. Malley, a controversial figure in Washington whom Republicans see as friendly to Iran, had been accused of storing classified information on his personal email account and mobile phone.
The materials were later accessed by “hostile cyber actors,” according to Sen. James Risch, a Republican from Idaho who is the ranking member of the Foreign Relations Committee, and Rep. Richard G. Risch, a Republican from Texas who is the chairman of the House Foreign Affairs Committee, who both revealed the information in May.
Robert Malley, Vice President for Policy at the International Crisis Group, speaks at the Forum MED Mediterranean Dialogue Summit in Rome, Italy, November 30, 2017. (Ricardo De Luca/Anadolu Agency/Getty Images)
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The FBI is investigating whether Murray committed a crime by transferring classified information to his personal email.
The OIG found that the Department “departed” from its normal procedures for suspending licenses by not informing Murray until senior officials had been notified.
State Department officials also reinstated Malley’s access to classified but unclassified information after suspending it amid concerns he might use a personal email account to conduct government business.
Sen. Bill Hagerty of Tennessee, the top Republican on the State Department Operations Subcommittee, responded to the report by accusing the Biden administration of colluding with Russia.
“Evidence of collusion with Iran by members of the Biden-Harris Administration is growing amid reports that the FBI is continuing its investigation into Special Envoy for Iran Rob Malley’s mishandling of classified information and that Special Envoy Malley and other Biden-Harris Administration officials were part of the Iranian regime’s malign influence network known as the ‘Iran Experts Initiative,'” Hagerty said.
Murray, a controversial figure in Washington, is seen walking with former Secretary of State John Kerry.
Iranian President Massoud Pezechkian attends a press conference in Tehran, Iran, September 16, 2024.
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The two men, who were asked by the Iranian Foreign Ministry to bolster the Iranian regime’s image in the United States, eventually became top advisers to Malley, one media outlet reported. Semaphore reports.
“Today’s Inspector General’s report contains new and damning revelations about cover-ups, politicization, and a systematic lack of accountability at the State Department under the Biden-Harris Administration.”
The OIG concluded that “the lack of standard policies for political appointees and the lack of oversight over Envoy Malley led to significant confusion about what work he was authorized to perform following his suspension.”
The department also “failed to consistently inform employees who had regular contact with Mr. Murray that he was not authorized to access classified information,” the report said. The department also failed to report allegations against Mr. Murray to the OIG, as required by law.
The Biden administration appointed Malley as special envoy for Iran in April 2021. He reported directly to Secretary of State Antony Blinken and was given top secret security clearance.
On April 20, 2023, the Director of the State Department’s Office of Personnel Safety and Competency received a recommendation to suspend Mr. Malley pending the completion of the investigation, and the Director signed the recommendation the following day. However, Mr. Malley was not notified until the following day, April 22.
The State Department also issued an Information and Facilities Access Restriction (IFAR) against Malley on April 22. A few days later, Malley’s access to the facility was restored and he was allowed to continue his unclassified work.
He continued to work until June 29, 2023, when he was placed on unpaid administrative leave and ordered to cease all department operations. He was told he could not perform his duties without authorization.
Malley currently holds the title of special envoy for Iran, but his employment and accreditation remain suspended. He will continue to hold that title until he resigns or his accreditation is formally revoked.
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“Instead of taking this matter seriously, the State Department and the White House are attempting to cover up and hide Malley’s egregious violations of national security. These revelations are deeply reprehensible, but not surprising,” House Foreign Affairs Committee Chairman Mike McCaul and Senate Foreign Relations Committee Chairman Jim Risch, a Republican, said in a joint statement.
“Congress remains unaware of how Malley’s violations affected the implementation of the Administration’s destructive approach toward Iran or the safety of Americans.”
