Suspension of security clearance for Iran envoy did not follow protocol, watchdog says

WASHINGTON (AP) — The State Department’s internal watchdog concluded Wednesday that officials did not follow proper protocol when handling the security clearance suspension of the U.S. special envoy for Iran following allegations last year that he may have mishandled classified information.

The department’s inspector general report, obtained by The Associated Press, stated that in several instances officials “deviated” from the standard process, allowing envoy Rob Malley to access classified meetings and information that would have otherwise been restricted.

“OIG also found that the lack of standard policies for political appointees and the lack of supervision of Special Envoy Malley led to significant confusion as to what work Mr. Malley was authorized to do following the suspension,” the report said.

Malley, who led the Biden administration's effort to revive the faltering Iran nuclear deal and resolve issues related to detained Americans in Iran, was placed on unpaid leave in June 2023 following allegations that he may have mishandled classified information.

Malley’s whereabouts first raised questions when he skipped a classified congressional briefing on Iran in May 2023. At the time, State Department officials told lawmakers that Malley was on “extended personal leave” and suggested that his absence might be related to a family health issue.

The report said that Malley had participated in a classified White House-organized call on Iran after his security clearance was suspended, but stopped short of criticizing him, noting that he was not informed of the action until the next day.

The delay, according to the inspector general, was likely due to uncertainty over Malley's security clearance status within the State Department's top ranks that may have resulted in him retaining access to classified information that he would otherwise not have been able to see.

“The department failed to consistently notify employees who regularly interacted with Mr. Malley that he was no longer allowed to access classified information,” the report said. “These conditions likely led to Special Envoy Malley engaging on issues outside the limited scope of issues on which he was authorized to work.”

In addition, the report found that after Malley's clearance and official email were suspended, senior State Department officials successfully sought to restore his access to the department's unclassified email system.

For the past year, congressional Republicans have been demanding that the State Department produce more information on the suspension and related allegations. The inspector general's report does not address the underlying allegations that led to the revocation of his clearance and which are the subject of a separate investigation.

The inspector general does make several recommendations to the State Department on how to avoid such issues in the future, including synchronizing the personnel guidelines for political appointees to those for foreign and civil service employees. The department agreed with this recommendation and said it expected that to be done before Dec. 31.

The report was circulated internally within the State Department on Tuesday and sent on Wednesday to Congress, where GOP lawmakers have been demanding accountability from the State Department.

“The State Department IG’s report is disturbing and sheds light on the multiple ways the State Department grossly mismanaged Rob Malley’s case and intentionally misled Congress,” the top Republicans on the House and Senate foreign affairs committees said in a joint statement late Wednesday.

Republicans have long opposed Malley's participation in Iran diplomacy, given his role at the National Security Council in the negotiations leading up to the Obama administration's 2015 nuclear deal and what they claim have been improper or suspect contacts with Iranian officials or pro-Iran activists while he was out of government during the Trump presidency and after he returned as special envoy in the early months of the Biden administration.

Malley, who is on administrative leave from the State Department, currently teaches diplomacy courses at Princeton and Yale universities. He could not immediately be reached for comment.