There’s been growing concern that the Biden White House is compromised. But no one thought it would be this bad.
Now an 82-page report has uncovered terrorist influences from within the Biden administration.
A congressional briefing and accompanying report disclosed on Tuesday that Iran has been undertaking undercover operations to exert influence in the U.S. and overseas for years as part of a coordinated misinformation effort that reaches the level of international espionage.
Building on a Semafor piece from September, this 82-page analysis, titled “Iran: The Ayatollah’s Hidden Hand,” describes how Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei and the Iranian government employ agents in the administration of Joe Biden to impact U.S. policy on the Islamic Republic.
Three Iranian agents, it was alleged at the time, had moved from requesting Tehran’s talking points to influencing policy directly under the authority of Rob Malley, the U.S. special representative for Iran. Malley had his security clearance revoked in April due to allegations that he had improperly handled sensitive information.
According to a recently released report, “having been granted top-level security clearances, these Iranian agents had access to highly classified and sensitive information available only to senior U.S. officials,” giving them a “unique position” to mislead American policymakers and undermine policy toward Iran’s theocratic regime.
“The actors allegedly collaborated with and took direction from senior Iranian officials while maintaining the appearance of working on behalf of the U.S. government.”
The agents’ efforts in Washington, D.C., were not limited to influencing foreign policy in Iran’s favor; they also included undermining support for the Mujahedin-e Khalq (MEK), the country’s most prominent opposition group. Iran has never stopped labeling the MEK as a terrorist organization due to the group’s refusal to bow down to Ayatollah Khamenei.
“By brazenly targeting the highly effective dissident organization, the operatives hoped to leave U.S. officials with the false impression that there is no viable alternative to the ayatollahs — and certainly not one with a pro-democracy record that remains committed to toppling clerical rule,” the report states.
University of Baltimore associate dean and author of the report Dr. Ivan Sascha Sheehan briefed a select group of lawmakers, foreign policy experts, and the media on America’s Capitol, on his findings and urged both houses of Congress to hold launch probes regarding this alleged espionage.
Sheehan argued that the Iranian government is a direct threat to American national security and interests. As the statement puts it, “the fact of the matter is that no organization who aligns themselves with a hostile state or serves as a foreign agent should wield influence over U.S. policy or have access to sensitive national security information.”
A Pentagon aide, Ariane Tabatabai, is accused of being part of a "covert campaign" to undermine critics of Iran. She is alleged to be part of an Iranian spy ring that infiltrated sensitive positions in the U.S. government. The operation aimed to smear an… https://t.co/fVanS5B5bV
— The America One News (@am1_news) November 15, 2023
At the briefing, the professor’s findings were presented by Representatives Tom McClintock (R-CA), Randy Weber (R-TX), and Ambassador Lincoln Bloomfield Jr., who served as assistant secretary of state for political-military affairs in the George W. Bush administration.
Sheehan praised the House’s efforts to prevent Iran from gaining nuclear weapons, but she also urged lawmakers and policymakers in Washington to be wary of the methods Tehran uses to “advance their broader, geopolitical agenda.” The House unanimously passed a resolution early this month saying that the United States will not tolerate Iran acquiring nuclear weapons.
Sheehan claimed one of the primary advocates of his report was shot in Madrid, Spain, only five days before the Tuesday briefing, highlighting intimidation of U.S. officials as one of the numerous techniques outlined in the book.
Alejo Vidal-Quadras, a professor and European statesman who escaped an assassination attempt, believes the Iranian regime was responsible. The subject is presently being looked into by the special terrorism section of the Spanish police.
Sheehan asked the crowd for their thoughts on whether or not the Iranian influence activities had crossed over into the realm of espionage, as well as the extent to which the clandestine campaign has damaged the country.
Americans have been growing more and more concerned about domestic security in recent months, especially in the wake of the Chinese spy balloon drama from earlier this year.
This news of an elaborate plot from Iran to influence American policy that will give Islamic states in the Middle East a leg up over western allies is only going to make those fears worse.
Stay tuned to the DC Daily Journal.
