Iran may have accessed US classified documents belonging to a former Biden-appointed envoy to the Islamic Republic.

As per Reuters, former US Iran envoy Robert Malley lost his security clearance in April 2023 because he allegedly transferred classified documents to his personal email and cell phone, which were then stolen by a hostile “cyber actor.” The identity of the thief remains unclear, but US lawmakers have expressed concern about the possibility that it could be related to Iran’s Revolutionary Guards Corps (IRGC).

“When and how did the cyber actor compromise Mr. Malley’s account?” a letter of inquiry sent to the Senate Foreign Relations Committee reads.

“Did the compromise of Mr. Malley’s device enable subsequent compromise of other senior officials at the State Department, National Security Council, or other agencies? How did the malign cyber actor utilize the information obtained from Mr. Malley?”

Malley, who was named as President Biden’s special representative for Iran in 2021, had long been instrumental in back-channel dealing with the Iranian government. In June, the State Department confirmed that Malley was on leave, and later indicated that the FBI had joined the investigation into his case. However, the Justice Department has not filed any charges or provided any official statement regarding the matter, according to the report.