US Congress demands info on probe into Iran envoy suspension
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The US House's Committee on Foreign Affairs demands information about the allegations that prompted a State Department investigation into Iran envoy Robert Malley.
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Robert Malley’s absence could further hinder the Biden administration's efforts to revive the Iran nuclear deal and come to terms with Tehran on a range of other matters. (AFP)
The Chairman of the US House Committee on Foreign Affairs called on the State Department to provide information about a decision to place the US special envoy Iran Robert Malley on leave amid an investigation into his handling of classified documents.
“These reports raise serious concerns both regarding Malley’s conduct and whether the State Department misled Congress and the American public,” Michael McCaul wrote in a letter to Secretary of State Antony Blinken.
McCaul considered Malley’s security clearance suspension “troubling” and blasted the State Department for stonewalling the House Foreign Affairs Committee’s past “efforts to conduct oversight.”
He added that the suspension of Malley's clearance is independently troubling and the main concern is compounded by the State Department's failure to respond to the committee's efforts to conduct oversight of its negotiations and policies toward Iran, explaining that "Since April 11, the committee has repeatedly requested [Malley's] testimony, which the department has not fulfilled, despite [his] numerous press engagements dating back to May 30, 2023."
The Texas Republican stressed that “at no point did the department indicate that Malley’s security clearance was suspended or under review, or that he was being investigated for potential misconduct” when the department rebuffed efforts to get him to testify.
McCaul wrote to Blinken that “the department’s failure to inform Congress of this matter demonstrates at best a lack of candor, and at worst represents deliberate and potentially unlawful misinformation."
The House Foreign Affairs Committee's chairman demanded that the State Department provide his panel with a “full” and “transparent” accounting of the circumstances regarding Malley’s clearance suspension and investigation by July 11.
Malley had announced earlier that his security clearance was being reviewed, hoping that the investigation would be resolved “favorably and soon”. “In the meantime, I am on leave,” he said.
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White House National Security Council Spokesperson John Kirby said on Friday that the US policy of pressuring Iran will remain unchanged despite the leave of Iran envoy Rob Malley.
According to media reports on Thursday, Malley has been placed on leave while his security clearance is being investigated. It is unclear how long Malley will be on leave.
Kirby also emphasized that the US will maintain pressure on Iran and collaborate with its allies to confront Tehran's alleged nuclear goals - although Iran has maintained that its nuclear program is strictly for peaceful purposes - as well as support for Russia.
