WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, America First Legal (AFL) opened a probe of an alleged pro-Iranian regime influence cell that appears to be operating at the Biden Administration’s highest levels. 

Robert Malley, formerly the Biden Administration’s Special Envoy for Iran and currently a fellow and faculty member at Yale and Princeton, is a key architect of the Obama/Biden Middle Eastern policy of appeasing and empowering the Islamic Republic of Iran. Malley has played a key role in funneling billions of dollars to the regime, allegedly knowing that the money would be used to strengthen Hamas, Hezbollah, and the Assad family in Syria. In June 2023, he was removed from his position for allegedly mishandling classified records. However, published reports are that he had lost his security clearance weeks earlier. 

There is significant evidence suggesting that Malley, who has deep family ties to Palestinian terrorists, may have helped infiltrate an alleged Iranian agent into at least two highly sensitive U.S. government positions. The alleged agent, Ariane Tabatabai, is currently serving as chief of staff for the assistant secretary of defense for special operations, Christopher Maier. Previously, she had been on Malley’s State Department team. Both Malley and Tabatabai have had access to, and allegedly influence over, U.S. intelligence on Iran, supposedly including intelligence relating to the regime’s relationship and communications with Hamas and Hezbollah. 

AFL is asking the Department of Justice to require Tabatabai to register as an agent of the Iranian regime under the Foreign Agent Registration Act. It is also launching a Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) investigation of Malley, Tabatabai, and Department of State Director of Policy Planning Salman Ahmed. America First Legal will keep fighting to expose the truth and to protect American national security.

Read the FOIA to DoD here, FOIA to State OIG here, FOIA to State here, and the FARA complaint here.

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