Watchdog report reveals State Department mishandled security clearance suspension of Iran envoy Robert Malley

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A report from the State Department's Office of Inspector General has determined that the agency mishandled the suspension of Robert Malley’s security clearance, who served as the Biden administration's envoy to Iran. The report states that Malley’s access to a sensitive system was restored before he was notified of his suspension, allowing him to attend classified meetings during that period.

The decision to restore Malley’s access to the State Department’s OpenNet system, typically restricted for individuals under investigation, was made due to concerns he might use personal email for official business. Malley was already being investigated for allegedly using personal email to handle sensitive government information, which would have been outside department protocols.

In addition to the State Department's actions, the FBI initiated an investigation into whether classified information had been mishandled and potentially accessed by a foreign cyber actor. Malley, who denies any wrongdoing, publicly announced in June 2023 that his security clearance was under review but stated he did not know the reason at the time.

The report also found that the State Department did not properly notify the Inspector General after Malley’s suspension, as required. The Department of Justice has not confirmed whether it plans to file charges.