A Pentagon employee allegedly linked to an Iranian influence network has been appointed as the deputy assistant secretary of defense for force education and training.
American-Iranian Ariane Tabatabai was previously chief of staff to the assistant secretary of defense for special operations, Politico reported.
Semafor claimed in 2023 that Tabatabai was linked to an Iranian group called the Iran Experts Initiative (IEI). The group was created in 2014 to support Tehran through influence operations.
Tabatabai was reportedly brought onto the IEI in 2014 to write op-eds and conduct interviews.
Investigations followed the 2023 report.
Chris Maier, assistant secretary of defense for Special Operations and Low-Intensity Conflict, said during a House Foreign Affairs Committee hearing, “We are actively looking into whether all law and policy was properly followed in granting my chief of staff (Ariane Tabatabai) top secret special-compartmented information.”
A Pentagon spokesperson told the Washington Free Beacon last year that Tabatabai was “thoroughly and properly vetted as a condition of her employment with the Department of Defense,” adding, “We are honored to have her serve.”
Some speculate that Tabatabai is linked to the document leaks that pertain to an expected forthcoming strike against Iran by Israel.
“To my knowledge, this official is not a subject of interest, and the department remains fully committed to supporting the investigation,” Pentagon spokesman Maj. Gen Patrick Ryder said, adding, “I don’t want to start throwing out names to perpetuate information that, again, as I highlighted my knowledge, the official that was being referenced is not a subject of interest, so just leave it there.”