May 11, 2021
The American Mideast Coalition for Democracy stands with lawmakers, Reps. Jeff Van Drew (R., N.J.), Scott Perry (R., Pa.), and Yvette Herrell (R., N.M.), who have sent a letter demanding senior adviser to the Office of the Under Secretary of State for Arms Control and International Security, Ariane Tabatabai, be stripped of her security clearance.
“Ms. Tabatabai is a new Iranian immigrant to the United States and her relatively recent support, as early as 2009, of Islamic Republic of Iran reform candidates is a major concern in her newly acquired security clearance,” stated AMCD co-chair and Iranian-American Hossein Khorram. “With the Islamic Regime monitoring her calls to and from Iran, even friendly conversations with friends and family could expose the U.S.’s national security secrets. Further, self-censorship driven by fear of harm to her family and friends in the Islamic Republic of Iran could compromise the United States’ national security decisions. Self-censorship already is a major concern with the Voice of America reporters with family and friends in the Islamic Republic of Iran. This issue has been subjected to prolonged congressional inquiries in the past. Ms. Tabatabai will not be able to serve the United States’ best interests, even if she wanted to, and therefore I believe she should be stripped of her national security credentials.”
“The Biden Administration is doing everything possible to appease America’s greatest enemy in the Middle East,” said AMCD co-chair Tom Harb. “Trump’s policy was to put pressure on Iran in order to limit their ability to fund terror in the region and influence operations in the United States and Europe. It was just three years ago that an Iranian terrorist almost succeeded in bombing a large opposition meeting near Paris. An Iranian diplomat was sentenced to 20 years in prison for his connection to it. This is the kind of regime the Biden Administration is enabling.”
“They tried assassinating a Saudi diplomat in Washington DC a few years ago too,” added AMCD co-chair John Hajjar. “The mullahs are absolutely ruthless and Ms. Tabatabai appears to apologize for the Islamic Regime while dismissing the legitimate grievances of the Iranian people. She stands with the regime and will push their talking points within the State Department. She should never have access to secret information.”