nypost.com Open in urlscan Pro
192.0.66.32  Public Scan

Form analysis
0 forms found in the DOM

Text Content

Close the sidebar
 * US News
   * Metro
   * Politics
 * World News
 * Page Six
 * Sports
   * NFL
   * MLB
   * NBA
   * NHL
   * College Football
   * College Basketball
   * WNBA
 * Post Sports+
 * Sports Betting
 * Business
   * Personal Finance
 * Opinion
 * Entertainment
   * TV
   * Movies
   * Music
   * Celebrities
   * Awards
   * Theater
 * Shopping
 * Lifestyle
   * Weird But True
   * Health
     * Fitness
     * Health Care
     * Medicine
     * Men’s Health
     * Women’s Health
     * Mental Health
     * Nutrition
   * Sex & Relationships
   * Viral Trends
   * Human Interest
   * Parenting
   * Fashion & Beauty
   * Food & Drink
   * Travel
 * Real Estate
 * Alexa
 * Media
 * Tech
 * Astrology
 * Video
 * Photos
 * Visual Stories
 * * Today’s Paper
   * Covers
   * Columnists
   * Horoscopes
   * Crosswords & Games
   * Sports Odds
   * Podcasts
   * Careers
 * * Email Newsletters
   * Official Store
   * Home Delivery
   * Tips

Close the sidebar
Menu
 * Facebook
 * Twitter
 * Flipboard
 * WhatsApp
 * Email
 * 

TRENDING NOW

Skip to main content

NJ SHORE TOWN CLOSES BOARDWALK AND DECLARES STATE OF EMERGENCY...

PRINCE HARRY AND MEGHAN MARKLE'S WEDDING WAS 'MISERABLE' AND 'A...

SHARK ATTACK CAPITAL OF THE WORLD NAMED — AND IT'S IN THIS US...

US News


OBAMA ADMINISTRATION PREVENTED FBI FROM ARRESTING ‘KNOWN TERRORISTS’ AND OTHERS
LINKED TO IRAN DURING NUCLEAR DEAL NEGOTIATIONS, GOP SENATORS SAY 

By Victor Nava

Published May 22, 2024
Updated May 23, 2024, 1:13 a.m. ET
The Obama-Biden State Department "actively interfered" to prevent the FBI from
executing arrest warrants on illegal individuals in the United States. Getty
Images

The Obama administration stymied multiple FBI arrest operations against
individuals on US soil linked to Iran’s nuclear and ballistic missile programs –
including “known terrorists” – in order to further negotiations on the Iran
nuclear deal, two Republican senators said Wednesday. 

The startling allegations were made to Sens. Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa) and Ron
Johnson (R-Wis.) via legally protected whistleblower disclosures. 

Advertisement

The senators on Wednesday presented unclassified internal FBI emails obtained
from the whistleblowers to Secretary of State Antony Blinken, FBI Director
Christopher Wray and Attorney General Merrick Garland showing the “obstruction”
effort in a letter which also demanded more records related to the Obama
administration’s nuclear deal negotiations.  

“The records provided to our offices show that the Obama/Biden administration’s
State Department, under the leadership of John Kerry, actively and persistently
interfered with FBI operations pertaining to lawful arrests of known terrorists,
members of Iranian proliferation networks, and other criminals providing
material support for Iran’s nuclear and ballistic missile programs,” the
senators wrote in their missives. 

3
Fox News Digital obtained letters Sens. Chuck Grassley, R-Iowa, and Ron Johnson,
R-Wis., sent to Secretary of State Antony Blinken, FBI Director Christopher
Wray, and Attorney General Merrick Garland on the matter. Getty Images

Advertisement

“The records also show that DOJ and FBI leadership apparently allowed it to
happen until the Trump administration altered course,” they added. 


EXPLORE MORE


HUNTER BIDEN’S LAPTOP WAS DENIED, DISPARAGED, CENSORED — NOW IT’S EVIDENCE OF A
CRIME


AG GARLAND DENOUNCES TRUMP CLAIM ‘DEADLY FORCE’ APPROVED IN MAR-A-LAGO RAID:
‘FALSE AND EXTREMELY DANGEROUS’


ELVIS’ GRACELAND ALLEGED AUCTION FRAUD CATCHES EYES OF ‘INTERESTED’ FBI
OFFICIALS: REPORTS

The senators uncovered at least eight instances between 2015 and 2016  in which
the State Department forced the FBI to stand down on arresting individuals
linked to the Iranian regime. 

Advertisement

One case involved an Iranian national on the Terrorism Watch List, according to
the whistleblower disclosures. 

FBI agents appeared to be deeply troubled that they were being asked to stop
arrests for political reasons, the emails show. 

“We are all beside ourselves on asking the field to stand down on a layup
arrest,” an FBI counterintelligence division agent wrote in one July 2015 email
to an Los Angeles FBI field office agent. 

Advertisement

3
The records show the Justice Department and the FBI, including then-Attorney
General Loretta Lynch and then-FBI Director James Comey “failed to take the
necessary steps to stop Kerry’s obstructive efforts against law enforcement.”
Corbis/VCG via Getty Images

“However, as it stands right now we all have to sit back and wait until all the
US and Iran negotiations resolve themselves,” the counterintelligence division
agent added. “We will continue to argue for aggressive action, however we will
probably lose.”

“Our hands are tied.”

Advertisement

The email subject line was “HQ support.”

In another email between FBI counterintelligence agents, from August 2017, one
employee of the bureau stated that “there were 8 cases we regularly highlighted
as being held up.” 

3
One email detailed at least eight instances connected to the Iran nuclear deal
where “the FBI/DOJ/USG could have moved forward with the cases but the State
Department chose to block them.” REUTERS

Advertisement

“State Department held up the cases,” the agent asserted. “The FBI/DOJ/USG could
have moved forward with the cases but the State Department chose to block
them.” 

The names of the subjects “lost” because of the State Department’s apparent
policy are redacted, but the emails show that at least one subject was able to
return to Iran and the known terrorist was forced out of the country, but not
arrested. 

“The FBI lost the opportunity to arrest the subject, who is on the Terrorism
Watch List, when the subject traveled to the US in July 2015. The State
Department blocked our plan to arrest while the subject was mid-flight and the
subject was forced to leave the US immediately upon arrival,” a counterintel
agent wrote in one email. 

Advertisement

Grassley and Johnson slammed FBI and DOJ leadership for failing to halt the
arrest holdups. 

“Records further show State’s actions, at the direction of former Secretary
Kerry, endangered national security, hamstrung the FBI’s law enforcement efforts
and counteracted our government’s stance against Iran,” they wrote. “Even so,
the FBI and Justice Department, under the leadership of then-Director [James]
Comey and then-Attorney General [Loretta] Lynch, failed to put a stop to Kerry’s
political interference.” 

What do you think? Post a comment.

Advertisement

The senators are asking for records from the email archives of Kerry, CIA
Director Bill Burns, Secretary of State Antony Blinken, and several other
current and former top US government officials by June 4 as part of their
investigation into the matter. 

The Obama administration’s Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action, colloquially
known as the Iran nuclear deal, was signed by former President Barack Obama in
2015. It was scrapped by former President Donald Trump in 2018.


Ad



SHARE THIS:


Filed under Antony Blinken ,  barack obama ,  christopher wray ,  chuck grassley
,  fbi ,  iran ,  joe biden ,  john kerry ,  justice department ,  merrick
garland ,  ron johnson ,  terrorism ,  5/22/24
Load more...

{{#isDisplay}}


{{/isDisplay}}{{#isAniviewVideo}} {{/isAniviewVideo}}{{#isSRVideo}}
{{/isSRVideo}}



TRENDING NOW

 1. NJ shore town closes boardwalk and declares state of emergency over 'unruly'
    teens on Memorial Day weekend
 2. Prince Harry and Meghan Markle's wedding was 'miserable' and 'a disaster':
    royal photographer
 3. Shark attack capital of the world named — and it's in this US state
 4. Ohio billionaire plans to take sub to Titanic site to prove industry's safer
    after OceanGate implosion
 5. Two women accuse NFL kicker of sexually assaulting them on team flight to
    London
 6. Stabbing spree suspect accused of attacking little girls claimed to be a
    model, had attacked psychologist dad: report

https://nypost.com/2024/05/22/us-news/obama-state-department-blocked-fbi-from-arresting-supporters-of-iran-nuclear-program-in-us-emails/?utm_source=url_sitebuttons&utm_medium=site%20buttons&utm_campaign=site%20buttons
Copy the URL to share
 * Post Sports+
 * Email Newsletters
 * Mobile Apps
 * Contact Us
 * Tips

 * Facebook
 * Twitter
 * Instagram
 * LinkedIn
 * Email
 * YouTube

© 2024 NYP Holdings, Inc. All Rights Reserved
Terms of Use | Privacy

Do Not Sell or Share My Personal Information/Opt-Out
Exit mobile version