WASHINGTON (AP) — The State Department’s internal oversight board concluded Wednesday that officials did not follow proper protocol in suspending the security clearance of the U.S. special envoy for Iran after allegations emerged last year that he may have mishandled classified information.
The department’s inspector general’s report, obtained by The Associated Press, said officials “deviated” from standard procedure in several cases and gave envoy Rob Malley access to confidential meetings and information that would not otherwise have been available to him.
“The OIG also found that the lack of standardized policies for political appointments and the lack of oversight of Special Envoy Malley led to significant confusion about what work Mr. Malley was permitted to undertake after his suspension,” the report said.
Malley, who led the Biden administration’s efforts to revive the stalled Iran nuclear deal and resolve issues related to detained Americans in Iran, was placed on unpaid leave in June 2023 after allegations of potentially mishandling classified information.
Malley’s whereabouts first raised questions when he missed 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 his absence might be related to a family health issue.
The report said Malley participated in a secret phone call with Iran organized by the White House after his security clearance was revoked. However, Malley refrained from criticizing the man, 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 about Malley’s security clearance status at the top levels of the State Department, which may have resulted in him retaining access to classified information that he would not otherwise have been able to see.
“The Department failed to consistently inform employees who regularly interacted with Mr. Malley that he was no longer permitted to access confidential information,” the report said. “These conditions likely led Special Envoy Malley to address issues that were outside the limited scope of his responsibilities.”
In addition, the report found that after Malley’s security clearance and official email traffic were blocked, senior State Department officials successfully attempted to restore his access to the department’s unclassified email system.
Last year, Republicans in Congress demanded that the State Department provide more information about the suspension and related allegations. The inspector general’s report does not address the underlying allegations that led to the revocation of his security clearance, which are the subject of a separate investigation.
The inspector general made several recommendations to the State Department on how to avoid such problems in the future, including aligning personnel policies for political appointments with those for foreign and civil servants. The department agreed with that recommendation and said it expects to do so before Dec. 31.
The report was distributed internally at the State Department on Tuesday and forwarded to Congress on Wednesday, where Republican lawmakers are demanding accountability from the State Department.
Republicans have long opposed Malley’s involvement in Iran diplomacy, citing his role on the National Security Council in negotiations leading up to the Obama administration’s 2015 nuclear deal. They also allege that Malley had inappropriate or suspicious contacts with Iranian officials or pro-Iranian activists while away from the government during the Trump presidency and after his return as special envoy in the early months of the Biden administration.
Malley, who is on leave from the State Department, currently teaches diplomacy at Princeton and Yale universities. He could not immediately be reached for comment.
