That Man Went

That man left.

Robert Malley went on leave.

That man went to Iran Gate’s report, senior US negotiator on Iran affairs, Robert Malley, went on leave while investigating security clearance issues. Malley deeply involved in the unsuccessful efforts of former US President Bill Clinton in 2000 to mediate peace between Israel and Palestinians, as well as the nuclear agreement with Iran in 2015. In January 2021, he was appointed as special representative for Iran affairs.

Matt Miller, spokesperson for the US Department of State, said on Friday that Robert Malley, the US special envoy for Iran affairs, is on leave and added that Abraham Pele will temporarily replace him. Miller wrote in an email to Reuters, ‘Robert Malley is on leave and Abraham Pele serves as special representative for Iran affairs and leads the State Department’s work in this area.’

According to Politico, Malley wrote in a message to me that my security clearance is under review. I have not been provided with further information, but I expect the investigation to be conducted properly and reach a conclusion soon.

It is unclear whether his leave is in the midst of renewed efforts to contain Iran’s nuclear program following the Trump administration’s decision in 2018 to withdraw from the JCPOA, disregarding the 2015 nuclear agreements and reimposing extensive sanctions against Iran. What reasons could there be for this?

According to the 2015 nuclear agreement, Iran restricted its nuclear program in order to reduce sanctions. After Donald Trump, the President of the United States, withdrew from this agreement, Robert Malley played a key role in the efforts to revive it during the Biden administration.

He led the unsuccessful efforts of the Biden administration to revive this agreement. Under this agreement, Iran was supposed to limit its nuclear program in exchange for the lifting of extensive sanctions, making it more difficult for Iran to obtain fissile material for nuclear weapons. It is worth mentioning that Tehran has always rejected the pursuit of nuclear weapons.

Simultaneously with multiple reports in recent weeks about issues such as the suspension of indirect negotiations with Iran on the nuclear issue and the exchange of American prisoners, there has been serious concern about financial misconduct. However, recently, Secretary of State Antony Blinken announced in a meeting at the Council on Foreign Relations that there is no future agreement and any report suggesting otherwise is misleading.

In President Barack Obama’s administration, Robert Malley was responsible for almost all matters, from nuclear agreement negotiations to combating the Islamic State.

Sources have reported that Robert Malley’s security clearances have been suspended following an investigation by the U.S. State Department into the possibility of mishandling classified information.

Serious concerns

The Congress has requested more information about the investigations on Robert Malley, Biden’s suspended representative for Iran affairs. Michael McCaul, the chairman of the House Foreign Affairs Committee, announced on Friday that Congress is seeking further details regarding the allegations that prompted the State Department’s investigations of Robert Malley. It is said that these allegations are related to classified documents.

As mentioned earlier, Malley has been on unpaid leave since Thursday, and his security clearance has been suspended pending the investigations. McCaul wrote in a letter to Secretary of State Antony Blinken that these reports raise serious concerns about Malley’s financial behavior and whether the State Department has misled Congress and the public.

Malley, who was appointed as the special envoy for Iran affairs by President Biden on January 28, 2021, confirmed that he went on leave on Thursday and expects this matter to be resolved.

McCaul described the suspension of Robert Malley’s security clearance as concerning and condemned the State Department for refusing to cooperate and disregarding the Foreign Affairs Committee’s past oversight efforts.

Furthermore, it was added that while the suspension of Robert Malley’s special security clearance is concerning in itself, our concern is exacerbated by the State Department’s refusal to respond to the committee’s efforts to oversee the negotiations and its policy towards Iran.

McCall stated that since April 11, 2023, the House Foreign Affairs Committee has repeatedly requested Robert Malley to appear before the House of Representatives and answer questions, but the State Department has never responded to these invitations. He added that the State Department has finally informed him that Malley could not attend the Congress because he was on leave in May due to the illness of a close family member.

This Republican from Texas claims that at no time has the State Department indicated that Robert Malley’s special security clearance has been suspended or under review, or that he has been subjected to interrogation due to possible misconduct.

McCall tells Blinken that the lack of information provided by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs to Congress regarding this issue, at best, indicates a lack of sincerity, and at worst, demonstrates deliberate provision of false information, which potentially is illegal. The Chairman of the Foreign Relations Committee of the US House of Representatives has requested the Department of State to provide a comprehensive and transparent report on the suspension and investigations of the US Special Envoy Robert Malley by July 11th.

According to some experts and political analysts, the absence of Malley could hinder the Biden administration’s efforts to revive the Iran nuclear deal and agreements on prisoner releases and other matters.