Whistleblowers have come forward to accuse the Obama-Biden State Department of actively interfering with the FBI’s efforts to execute arrest warrants on individuals involved in illegal support of Iran’s weapons of mass destruction program. According to Senators Chuck Grassley and Ron Johnson, unclassified and legally protected whistleblower disclosures reveal that then-Secretary of State John Kerry obstructed the FBI’s attempts to arrest individuals in the US who were aiding Iran’s efforts. Grassley and Johnson have sent letters to Secretary of State Antony Blinken, FBI Director Christopher Wray, and Attorney General Merrick Garland, demanding records related to the alleged interference.
The allegations stem from the Obama-Biden administration’s Joint Plan of Action, which was part of the negotiation process for the Iran Nuclear Deal signed by then-President Obama in 2015. Despite publicly committing to preventing Iran from acquiring nuclear weapons, the administration faced accusations of hindering law enforcement efforts to arrest Iranians involved in illegal activities related to Iran’s weapons program.
Emails obtained by Fox News Digital shed light on the alleged interference. One email from August 25, 2017, mentions at least eight instances where the State Department blocked the FBI from moving forward with cases related to the Iran nuclear deal. In six of these instances, the FBI lost the opportunity to arrest the main subject. The email also reveals that one subject on the Terrorism Watch List managed to return to Iran and another was forced to leave the US immediately upon arrival due to the State Department’s interference.
The records also indicate that under the Trump administration, two targets were arrested only after the State Department lifted its block. Grassley and Johnson argue that these warnings about failure to arrest known Iranians subject to arrest warrants date back to 2015 and were allegedly motivated by political reasons.
Additional unclassified FBI emails suggest that the State Department’s interference became such a significant issue that then-Attorney General Loretta Lynch had to discuss it with Secretary Kerry. The emails describe tension between Lynch and Kerry, with Kerry rushing out of a meeting without engaging with the Attorney General. The issues remained unresolved, causing surprise within the DOJ, as extraditions are typically considered ministerial functions not subject to State Department interference.
The allegations against the Obama-Biden State Department raise concerns about potential obstruction of justice and political motivations behind the blocking of arrests. Grassley and Johnson are now demanding records from email archives of several high-ranking officials, including Kerry, now-CIA Director Bill Burns, Wendy Sherman, and Secretary of State Antony Blinken.
The allegations come at a time when doing business in Iran has already faced repercussions due to the Trump administration’s policies. A November 2016 email from Shell corporate to an FBI official mentioned the impact of Trump’s election win on doing business in Iran, with banks backing off from deals due to uncertainty. This context adds further complexity to the issue of alleged interference by the Obama-Biden State Department.
The FBI and DOJ have confirmed receipt of Grassley’s letter but have declined to comment further. The State Department has yet to respond to requests for comment. As the investigation unfolds, it remains to be seen what impact these allegations will have on perceptions of the Obama-Biden administration’s handling of the Iran Nuclear Deal and its commitment to upholding law enforcement efforts related to Iran’s weapons program.
