Ariane Tabatabai, a senior staffer in the office of U.S. Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin, who was identified as the source behind the recent leak of classified documents detailing Israel’s military preparations for a potential strike on Iran, has been moved to a new role in the defense department where she will have less access to intelligence.
Tabatabi was moved to the force and education department within Austin’s office, where she will have “significantly less access to intelligence and covert military programs,” according to former Defense Department officials interviewed by The Free Press.
Tabatabi, who is an Iranian-American, was previously linked by an Iran International investigation to an Iranian-led influence network.
Over a year ago, the Iran International investigation revealed that Tabatabi is an integral member of the Iran Experts Initiative (IEI) – a network established by Iran’s foreign ministry in 2014 to promote Tehran’s interests within Western policy circles.
Despite the revelation, Tabatabi was not removed from her sensitive position as the Pentagon Chief of Staff for the Assistant Secretary of Defense for Special Operations and Low-Intensity Conflict, and her security clearance was not removed.
She previously served as a key aide to the since-suspended US Special Envoy for Iran Robert Malley, whose security clearance was removed due to the “mishandling of classified information.”
(YWN Israel Desk – Jerusalem)
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8 Responses
LOCK HER UP!!!
This is the most ridiculous thing I’ve ever heard.
there is only one place to move her, it is not sideways.
If it was regarding any other country in the world, she would have been prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law.
Leaking sensitive information…. and instead of firing her they move her to a different position. Pathetic.
From this utterly bizarre decision, that she be allowed in the very same office that she leaked top secret military information to our arch enemy, it is obvious that she is the tip of the proverbial iceberg, and a lot of heads need to roll.
Why is she better than Pollard who received a life sentence?
She may have sensitive information about other leakers who don’t want to be prosecuted. This may include top brass.
She is a traitor working for the U.S. Government. She should be prosecuted as such to the fullest degree of the Law. Why is she still in a position in Government? How can she be trusted? As questioned above, why is she being treated differently from Jonathan Pollard?