Republican lawmakers are investigating National Security Adviser Kamala Harris for “blatantly advancing the views and interests of the Iranian regime” and having “ties” to an Iranian influence operation involving a now-suspended State Department official and three of his aides.
Rep. Elise Stefanik (R-NY) and Sen. Tom Cotton (R-AR) sent a letter to the vice president on Wednesday seeking answers to questions about adviser Philip Gordon, a top aide to suspended Iranian special representative Robert Malley who co-authored an op-ed with Malley on Iran’s influence operations.
“Since last year, I have called for accountability from the Department of Defense for allowing sympathizers of the Iranian regime to infiltrate senior government positions,” Stefanik told the Post.
“The promotion of Kamala Harris and her staff of Iran apologists will only worsen the Biden-Harris Administration’s policy of appeasing Iran and abandoning Israel. I am proud to join Senator Cotton in demanding accountability,” she said.
The aide, Ariane Tabatabai, was instrumental in establishing the Iran Experts Initiative, which worked with senior Iranian Foreign Ministry officials to influence negotiations on the Iran nuclear deal that began in 2014, and was also involved in a “covert operation” to smear prominent opposition groups opposed to Ayatollah Ali Khamenei.
She currently serves as chief of staff to the assistant secretary of defense for special operations and low-intensity conflict in the Biden administration.
“In a March 2020 article, Gordon and Tabatabai argued that continued sanctions against Iran would bring about a ‘catastrophe’ in the Middle East. In another article, they wrote that sanctions could lead to renewed attempts by Iran to ‘attack neighboring countries, Americans and U.S. interests in the Middle East,'” Stefanik and Cotton wrote.
“Each prediction was incorrect and biased in favor of Tehran. Gordon also had close ties to the National Iranian American Council (NIAC), which is believed to be aligned with Tehran,” it added, noting that the adviser spoke at the group’s leadership conferences in 2014 and 2016.
While Malley had his security clearance revoked in April 2023 and was placed on unpaid leave the following month, “Tabatabai remains gainfully employed by the Department of Defense and is involved in overseeing highly sensitive special operations,” Stefanik and Cotton also noted.
Additionally, they alleged that Amos Hochstein, the State Department’s Special Presidential Coordinator for Global Infrastructure and Energy Security, “probably passed information about Israeli airstrikes to Hezbollah last weekend.”
Both the FBI and the State Department’s Office of Inspector General are investigating Malley for allegedly passing classified materials to Tehran.
The disgraced envoy served as chief negotiator for the 2015 Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action, or the Iran nuclear deal, under the Obama administration.
Gordon, who worked with Obama administration officials during the nuclear negotiations, took the job after Harris’ former national security adviser, Nancy McEldowney, made a “difficult decision.” He is scheduled to step down as vice president in March 2022 for “compelling personal reasons.”
Marie and Gordon Foreign Affairs editorial Four years ago, he sharply criticized the Trump administration for withdrawing from the Iran nuclear deal.
Before his suspension, Malley had been lobbying Iranian officials to return to the negotiating table.
In their letter, Stefanik and Cotton asked for details about Gordon’s security clearance by August 9 and whether he was investigated after Tabatabai’s ties to Tehran came to light.
