{"id":2072122,"date":"2023-10-18T17:36:01","date_gmt":"2023-10-18T21:36:01","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/pentagon-allows-alleged-member-of-iranian-influence-operation-to-keep-security-clearance-report\/"},"modified":"2023-10-18T17:38:33","modified_gmt":"2023-10-18T21:38:33","slug":"pentagon-allows-alleged-member-of-iranian-influence-operation-to-keep-security-clearance-report","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/pentagon-allows-alleged-member-of-iranian-influence-operation-to-keep-security-clearance-report\/","title":{"rendered":"Pentagon permits alleged Iranian influence operative to retain security clearance: Report."},"content":{"rendered":"<aside class=\"mashsb-container mashsb-main mashsb-stretched\"><div class=\"mashsb-box\"><div class=\"mashsb-count mash-medium\" style=\"float:left\"><div class=\"counts mashsbcount\">22<\/div><span class=\"mashsb-sharetext\">SHARES<\/span><\/div><div class=\"mashsb-buttons\"><a class=\"mashicon-facebook mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/sharer.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.conservativenewsdaily.net%2Fbreaking-news%2Fpentagon-allows-alleged-member-of-iranian-influence-operation-to-keep-security-clearance-report%2F\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Facebook<\/span><\/a><a class=\"mashicon-twitter mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/intent\/tweet?text=&amp;url=https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/?p=2072122&amp;via=ConservNewsDly\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Twitter<\/span><\/a><a class=\"mashicon-subscribe mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"#\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Subscribe<\/span><\/a><div class=\"onoffswitch2 mash-medium mashsb-noshadow\" style=\"display:none\"><\/div><\/div>\n            <\/div>\n                <div style=\"clear:both\"><\/div><\/aside>\n            <!-- Share buttons by mashshare.net - Version: 4.0.47--><h2>The Pentagon\u2062 Confirms Senior Official&#8217;s Security Clearance\u200b Following\u200c Alleged Iranian Influence Operation<\/h2>\n<p>The Pentagon has confirmed that \u2062Ariane Tabatabai, a\u200d senior \u200dofficial in the Defense Department, will retain\u200b her security clearance despite being named in an alleged Iranian influence operation. The operation \u2064aimed to\u200d improve Iran&#8217;s \u200bglobal image regarding its nuclear program. Tabatabai was identified \u2062as\u2064 a member of the Iran \u2064Experts Initiative, a\u2062 network of influential academics run \u2062by Tehran&#8217;s foreign ministry.<\/p>\n<p>Republican lawmakers expressed concerns about Tabatabai&#8217;s alleged membership and called for her security clearance to \u200dbe suspended pending\u2063 a review \u200bof\u2064 her ties with the Iranian \u2062regime. However, \u200bthe Pentagon \u2062conducted an \u2064internal review and \u2062decided\u200b to\u2064 keep her security clearance.<\/p>\n<blockquote>\n<h3>Confirmation of Employment and\u2064 Clearance<\/h3>\n<p>&#8220;We have confirmed \u2063that Ms. Tabatabai&#8217;s employment and clearance processes\u2063 were carried out\u200c in accordance with all appropriate laws\u2062 and policies,&#8221; stated Rheanne E. Wirkkala, an assistant secretary of\u200c defense, in a letter \u200dto Sen. Joni Ernst (R-IA).<\/p>\n<p>The Defense Counterintelligence \u200dand Security Agency has enrolled all Defense Department personnel\u2062 with security \u2063clearance in its continuous vetting program, which \u2063<a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/pentagon-allows-alleged-member-of-iranian-influence-operation-to-keep-security-clearance-report\/\" title=\"Pentagon permits alleged Iranian influence operative to retain security clearance: Report.\">regularly reviews individuals&#8217; backgrounds<\/a> to\u2064 ensure they meet\u2062 security clearance requirements.<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n<p>Sen. \u200bErnst and \u200dother GOP lawmakers demanded an investigation into Tabatabai&#8217;s alleged role in the\u200d Iran-based initiative. They raised\u2064 concerns about her close contact with Iranian officials and her \u200cinvolvement \u200din messaging strategy with <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/buckle-your-seatbelts-for-three-more-years-of-biden-making-the-world-more-dangerous\/\" title=\"Buckle Your Seatbelts For Three More Years Of Biden Making The World More Dangerous\">top foreign policy officials<\/a> in \u2063both the \u2062Obama and Biden administrations.<\/p>\n<p>Sen. Ernst expressed her \u2064concerns about\u2062 national security, stating, &#8220;The Biden \u200cadministration is compromised, but they continue to shamelessly defend allowing\u2064 an Iranian spy to infiltrate\u200d and \u200cwork at the Pentagon, likely allowing\u200b the regime access to highly sensitive information.&#8221;<\/p>\n<p>Tabatabai was also found to have worked\u2064 for President Joe Biden&#8217;s Special Envoy to Iran, Robert Malley, at the State Department. Malley was\u200b forced to step down \u2062after his security clearance \u2063was revoked for mishandling classified information.<\/p>\n<p>Morgan Ortagus, a\u200d former State Department official, called \u2062the situation &#8220;the \u200cscandal of\u200b a generation,&#8221; highlighting the alleged \u2063influence\u200b of Iran on senior officials \u2064from the last \u200ctwo Democratic administrations.<\/p>\n<p>The Pentagon defended Tabatabai&#8217;s employment, stating that she\u200b underwent thorough vetting and \u2062that they are honored to have\u2064 her serve.<\/p>\n<p><b><a href=\"https:\/\/onelink.to\/dwapp\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" aria-describedby=\"sk-tooltip-9096\" data-saferedirecturl=\"https:\/\/www.google.com\/url?q=https:\/\/onelink.to\/dwapp&#038;source=gmail&#038;ust=1697304159818000&#038;usg=AOvVaw1PnpIbvspZalTqN1iLUDpA\">CLICK HERE TO GET THE DAILYWIRE+ APP<\/a><\/b><\/p>\n<p>It is evident that Tabatabai&#8217;s\u2064 alleged \u200dinvolvement with the Iranian regime has raised significant \u2062concerns about national security and the potential compromise of sensitive information.<\/p>\n<p><em>Brent Scher contributed \u2063to this report.<\/em><\/p>\n<p> <\/p>\n<h2> How does the Pentagon ensure that allegations against an\u2062 individual, such as membership in an organization, are thoroughly investigated and \u200ddo not automatically imply involvement \u200din illicit activities or compromise of national security?<\/h2>\n<p><span>  In a comprehensive \u200dsecurity clearance process that involves a thorough investigation of an individual&#8217;s background, including \u200cany potential conflicts of interest or foreign influence. \u200cThis process ensures that only those individuals who are deemed trustworthy and have no compromising ties are granted security clearance. It is a rigorous and objective evaluation that considers all relevant factors, including an\u200c individual&#8217;s loyalty, character, and judgment.<\/p>\n<p>In the case of Ariane Tabatabai, the Pentagon \u200bhas conducted an internal review and determined that there is no evidence of misconduct or compromise. \u2064The allegations against her are based on her membership in \u200dthe Iran Experts Initiative, a network of academics run\u200b by Tehran&#8217;s foreign ministry. \u200cHowever, it is important to note that membership \u200cin an\u2063 organization\u2063 does not automatically imply involvement\u200b in any illicit activities or compromise of national \u200bsecurity.<\/p>\n<p>The\u2064 Iran Experts Initiative itself\u200d is a platform for informing global discussions on Iran&#8217;s nuclear\u200c program.\u2063 It provides an opportunity for \u2062academia to engage with \u200dpolicymakers, experts, and\u200c stakeholders in an effort to foster better\u2063 understanding\u2064 and cooperation. While some may view this initiative with suspicion due to Iran&#8217;s geopolitical situation, it is crucial to assess individuals based on\u2062 their actions\u2064 and evidence rather\u200c than assumptions or\u200d generalizations.<\/p>\n<p>The Pentagon&#8217;s \u2063decision \u2063to retain Tabatabai&#8217;s security\u200d clearance signifies its\u200b confidence in \u200cher ability to uphold the principles and values that are essential to national security. It demonstrates that the Defense \u2062Department has thoroughly investigated her background \u2063and found no\u2063 grounds to question her loyalty or \u200djudgment.<\/p>\n<blockquote>\n<h3>Ensuring National Security<\/h3>\n<p>The United States government takes \u2062the\u200d issue of national security \u200bvery seriously. It has established robust mechanisms and protocols \u2062to ensure that individuals with \u2063security clearances are thoroughly \u200bvetted and continuously monitored. Any potential concerns or threats are thoroughly investigated, and appropriate actions are taken \u200dto mitigate risk and <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/senate-mostly-unified-on-china-provisions-despite-ndaa-fights\/\" title=\"Senate remains largely united on China provisions despite disagreements over NDAA.\">protect \u200cnational interests<\/a>.<\/p>\n<p>While it is crucial to remain vigilant and skeptical of \u200dpotential \u2064threats, it is equally important to respect the due\u2063 process and integrity \u200cof \u200bthe security clearance process.\u2064 Allegations alone should not be enough \u200cto tarnish an individual&#8217;s reputation or jeopardize their career, particularly \u2064when no substantial evidence of wrongdoing has been presented.<\/p>\n<p>By retaining Ariane Tabatabai&#8217;s security clearance, the Pentagon has demonstrated its commitment to fairness, objectivity, and \u2064the rule of law. It has \u200drecognized the importance of basing\u2063 decisions on facts and evidence, rather than\u2063 succumbing to external pressures or public\u2063 opinion.<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n<p>In \u2062conclusion, the Pentagon&#8217;s confirmation of Ariane \u200bTabatabai&#8217;s security clearance following alleged Iranian influence operation highlights the integrity and professionalism of the security clearance process. It reaffirms the confidence that \u2063the Defense Department places \u200cin its personnel and their \u200cability to uphold national \u200csecurity interests. It serves as a reminder that judgments should \u200dbe based on evidence and due\u2063 process, \u200drather than assumptions or unsubstantiated allegations.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>The Pentagon confirmed that Ariane Tabatabai, a senior Defense Department official, will retain her security clearance after an internal review. She was named in Iranian government emails obtained by Semfafor, allegedly involved in an operation to enhance Iran&#8217;s global image regarding its nuclear program.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":429,"featured_media":2072123,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_mo_disable_npp":"","fifu_image_url":"https:\/\/cndimages.nyc3.digitaloceanspaces.com\/breaking-news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/01\/IMG_2758-scaled-1.jpg","fifu_image_alt":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[541],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-2072122","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-the-daily-wire"],"fifu_image_url":"https:\/\/cndimages.nyc3.digitaloceanspaces.com\/breaking-news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/01\/IMG_2758-scaled-1.jpg","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2072122","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/429"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=2072122"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2072122\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/2072123"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=2072122"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=2072122"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=2072122"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}