Grassley, Johnson Uncover Obama Biden State Department’s Politically Motivated Obstruction of FBI Law Enforcement Efforts

05.22.2024

WASHINGTON - Former Secretary of State John Kerry blocked multiple FBI arrest operations against individuals linked to Iran's nuclear and ballistic missile programs to further negotiations on the failed Iran nuclear deal, according to unclassified internal FBI emails obtained by Sens. Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa) and Ron Johnson (R-Wis.) via legally protected whistleblower disclosures. Grassley and Johnson are making internal FBI records public and seeking accountability for this obstruction.

"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 letters to the State and Justice Departments, as well as the FBI. "The records also show that DOJ and FBI leadership apparently allowed it to happen until the Trump administration altered course."

Records reveal the Obama-Biden State Department (State) forced the FBI, between 2015 and 2016, to stand down on arrests in eight cases - one of which involved an Iranian subject on the Terrorism Watch List - due to "on-going politics." State's brazen political calculus led the FBI to determine they would "have to sit back and wait until all the US and Iran negotiations resolve themselves" before arresting the Iranians. The Trump administration lifted State's block on FBI arrests upon taking office, resulting in the successful capture of two of the Iranian targets.

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. Even so, the FBI and Justice Department, under the leadership of then-Director Comey and then-Attorney General Lynch, failed to put a stop to Kerry's political interference.

Read Grassley and Johnson's letters and review the attached records sent to the State Department, Justice Department and the FBI.

Background

Grassley voiced his skepticism of the Iran nuclear deal since the time of its announcement. As debate on the deal continued, Grassley predicted the deal would "not increase our national security or the security of our friends and allies."

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