US Special Envoy for Iran Robert Malley speaks to VOA Persian at the State Department in Washington. Photo: Wikimedia Commons.

An alleged State Department internal memo informing US Iran Envoy Rob Malley that his security clearance had been suspended which was released on Sunday by Iranian state-affiliated media is raising concern among American lawmakers.

On Monday, Sen. Bill Hagerty (R-TN) and Rep. Jim Banks (R-IN) questioned how the Iranian outlet received the memo.

“Is this Sensitive But Unclassified (SBU) memo about the suspension of [Malley’s] security clearance authentic?” Hagerty posted on X, the social media platform formerly known as Twitter. “How did Iran’s regime get this SBU memo? [The State Department] owes US Senators answers to these & many other critical questions.”

Banks said the memo underlined the need for transparency about Malley’s current status.

“The Biden admin must come clean NOW about what Rob Malley did to get his security clearance revoked and what critical information he gave to the Iranian regime,” Banks posted.

Malley, who was previously one of the Biden administration’s top negotiators with Iran, has been on leave without pay from the State Department since June, when it was revealed in US media reports that his security clearance had been suspended over potential mishandling of classified material. Multiple media outlets reported last month that the investigation into Malley had been taken over by the FBI.

Since July, the Tehran Times, an Iranian state-affiliated news outlet, has on multiple occasions published what it claims are previously unreleased details about Malley’s suspension.

Sunday’s Tehran Times report, the latest such example, includes photos of what it claims is a State Department memo, dated April 21, informing Malley of the suspension of his security clearance for “serious security concerns” related to his “personal conduct,” “handling protected information,” and “use of information technology.” The memo does not detail what information he may have mishandled or whom he might have given the information to, but a previous Tehran Times report speculated that he might have improperly disclosed classified information to unnamed Iranian “brokers and experts.”

The memo contains at least one verifiable error that could indicate that it is a forgery: Malley is addressed as the Special Envoy “to” Iran. His correct title is Special Envoy “for” Iran. 

A State Department spokesperson told The Algemeiner on Monday that the department is aware of the report but does not comment on internal matters.

“Rob Malley remains on leave,” the spokesperson said. “We have nothing further to share at this time due to privacy considerations.”

The lack of detail about Malley’s suspension has drawn the ire of congressional Republicans, who say they should have been informed by the Biden administration at the time, and still have not received a satisfactory explanation for his suspension.

Rep. Michael McCaul (R-TX), chairman of the House Foreign Affairs Committee, told The Algemeiner earlier this month that he was working to address the issue with new legislation.

“Rob Malley’s security clearance was suspended, and he was placed on leave from the State Department — with no explanation as to why, even in a classified setting,” McCaul said. “I’m working on legislation to mandate the State Department be transparent with Congress when there are security issues with senior officials.”