State Department officials caused "significant confusion" by not following standard protocols in suspending Iran special envoy Rob Malley's security clearance, the department's Inspector General's office determined in a report released this week.
Malley, the U.S. special envoy to Iran since President Joe Biden took office in January 2021, has been on leave from his post since the end of June due to an ongoing investigation by the FBI into his handling of classified information. Malley has denied any wrongdoing.
The report, which was obtained by Politico, found that the confusion surrounding Malley's security clearance "likely led" to him being involved in conversations "outside the limited scope of issues on which he was authorized to work," including a conference call made after his clearance was suspended but before he was alerted to the suspension. The report also notes that Malley may have been able to access sensitive emails.
At one point, the report states that the inspector general's office "could not identify any department official who decided what Special Envoy Malley could work on or who monitored his work during the period in question."
It adds, "While Mr. Malley had little oversight prior to the suspension of his clearance, the degree of supervision actually decreased following the suspension, which significantly increased the risk that he could participate in discussions inappropriate for someone lacking a security clearance."
A spokesperson for the State Department declined to comment about the report. Malley told Politico in a statement that he had seen the report but could not make a comment.
"I offered to cooperate with the inspector general's investigation, but they did not take me up on my offer and never contacted me," he told the news outlet.
Theodore Bunker ✉
Theodore Bunker, a Newsmax writer, has more than a decade covering news, media, and politics.
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