Secretary of State Antony Blinken dismissed allegations that John Kerry revealed Israeli military secrets to Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif, rejecting a chorus of criticisms building in the wake of a leaked audio.
“These things were so secret that they were all reported in the press at the time,” Blinken told CNN’s Jake Tapper during a Tuesday interview. “So it is utter nonsense, and it’s really unfortunate that people continue to try and play politics with this.”
The controversy stems from a newly surfaced audio recording of Zarif, who can be heard claiming that Kerry notified him that “Israel had launched more than 200 attacks on Iranian forces in Syria.” Zarif doesn’t say when that conversation took place, but senior Republican lawmakers have construed the comment as a sign that Kerry passed a warning to Iran.
“If true, it is despicable. I think we should have a hearing. I doubt my Democratic colleagues will call a hearing,” Sen. John Kennedy, a Louisiana Republican, said Tuesday. “So my Plan B preference would be to have a classified briefing, and let’s find out what happened.”
JOHN KERRY’S POSSIBLE DEFENSE IN IRAN LEAK UPROAR COULD SHOW HE UNDERMINED TRUMP
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu declared in 2017 his determination to strike Iranian forces in Syria “whenever the Iranians smuggle advanced arms.” Multiple former Trump administration officials acknowledged the possibility that Kerry made the comment in the wake of such public rhetoric, but they disagreed about the potential ramifications.
“To be honest, I don’t even think it’s that big of a deal,” said Kirsten Fontenrose, a senior member of the White House National Security Council under former President Donald Trump who is now at the Atlantic Council. “It’s not like Israel even tries, all the time, to keep it secret. … Everyone is aware.”
Yet, a former official who worked on Iran issues suggested that even a statement subsequent to Israeli revelations could conflict with the rules governing the handling of classified information.
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“Just because information is published by a foreign government or the press doesn’t change its classification status within the U.S. government,” said Gabriel Noronha, who worked at the State Department under then-Secretary of State Mike Pompeo.
