On Monday, U.S. Special Climate Envoy John Kerry denied allegations of informing the Iranian foreign minister of Israeli operations in Syria while he was serving as secretary of state under Barack Obama.
In a post on Twitter, Kerry called the claims as “unequivocally false” as he detailed in leaked audio that was obtained by several media outlets.
I can tell you that this story and these allegations are unequivocally false. This never happened – either when I was Secretary of State or since. https://t.co/BTOdFE1khW
— John Kerry (@JohnKerry) April 26, 2021
In the leaked audiotape, Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif claimed that while Kerry was serving as America’s top diplomat during the Obama Adminsitration, he discussed and revealed over 200 operations that Israel had carried out in Syria against Iranian targets. Zarif added that he himself was shocked by the revelations that Kerry made.
This comes after Kerry’s additional meetings with Zarif, held as a private citizen after he left office, have also raised questions about what he has told Iranian officials over the years.
Meanwhile, Republicans were quick to criticize Kerry of betrayal to Israel, a key U.S. ally in the region. Some GOP officials are even calling for Kerry to resign from his post in the Biden administration.
.@NYTimes & others are reporting John Kerry disclosed covert Israeli operations to Iran, the largest state sponsor of terror with the blood of thousands of US soldiers on its hands.
If this is true, it’s traitorous and Kerry needs to go. pic.twitter.com/RW2OPBPjUO
— Sen. Dan Sullivan (@SenDanSullivan) April 26, 2021
As previously reported, Kerry was accused of colluding with Iran to undermine former President Trump during his presidency in an effort to ease relations between the U.S. and Iran.
Kerry has then admitted that he met with Zarif at least twice during the presidency of Trump, for which trump said he should be “prosecuted.”
After accusations of Kerry telling Iran about Israeli operations surfaced, there has been series of demands for him to be investigated and resign.
Kerry’s position as U.S. Special Presidential envoy for climate is a cabinet-level post in the Biden administration that did not undergone Senate confirmation. However, the new revelattions about Iran raised some concerns in the Senate.
This is disgusting on many levels. Biden and Kerry have to answer for why Kerry would be tipping off Iran, the number one sponsor of terror, while stabbing one of our greatest partners, Israel, in the back. https://t.co/ZLWnQRZkrG
— Nikki Haley (@NikkiHaley) April 26, 2021
Sen. Marsha Blackburn (R-Tenn) a member of the Senate Judiciary Committee said, “This is something that deserves a Senate investigation. If it indeed is proven to be accurate, then John Kerry should seriously consider resignation.”
Blackburn added that Kerry has put “our men and women in uniform at risk.”
The Senator also added in an interview with Fox News that this news about what Kerry has done is “something that is serious.” She aded, “This is someone who has served our nation at very high levels, that had information, whether as a senator or as secretary of state and knew what was happening on the diplomatic and military front, to give that information to someone who is an adversary is something of tremendous concern to me.”
Other GOP lawmakers also agree that a Senate probe of Kerry’s comments is warranted.
Mort Klein, president of the Zionist Organization of America (ZOA), the oldest pro-Israel group in the U.S. said, “If these egregious allegations are true, we believe Mr. Kerry should be fired,” He added that there should be “an immediate and thorough investigation.”
If intel leak rumors are true, John Kerry should seriously consider resignation. @EricShawnTV @foxnewshttps://t.co/bhJ6OMUxSh
— Sen. Marsha Blackburn (@MarshaBlackburn) April 27, 2021
Speaking for his national membership of more than 25,000, Klein stated, “To give information as a spy for possibly the most loyal ally that America has, Israel, is not only an outrage to an ally but it sends a message to other allies that certainly, Mr. Kerry can never be trusted and maybe America can’t be trusted with important private confidential information.”
The executive director of Iranian Americans for Liberty, a New York-based activist group opposed to the Tehran regime, goes even further.
“These allegations from Iran’s foreign minister, if true, are grounds for treason,” according to the group’s executive director, Bryan E. Leib.
“We would like to see a united front from the Democrats and Republicans who serve on the House Homeland Security Committee by immediately issuing a subpoena for John Kerry to appear in a public hearing before the committee next week,” Leib told Fox News.
