Palm Coast Times

WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Congressman Mike Waltz, along with several other congressmen, sent a letter to former Special Presidential Envoy for Climate John Kerry, requesting all private correspondence with former Iranian Foreign Minister Javad Jarif during the Trump Administration. The letter also accused Mr. Kerry of likely violating the Logan Act.

In the letter, Waltz expressed concerns about Kerry's actions, stating, "John Kerry undermined a sitting U.S. president and emboldened a state sponsor of terror by engaging with a foreign adversary as a private citizen." He emphasized the need to uncover the specifics of Kerry's discussions with Zarif and investigate if there were attempts to undermine President Trump's policies towards Iran.

During a congressional testimony last year, Kerry admitted to corresponding with Zarif using encrypted messaging applications, which could potentially violate the Logan Act. Despite defending his actions by citing historical back-channel diplomacy examples, Waltz and his colleagues raised doubts about the appropriateness of Kerry's engagements with Iranian officials.

The letter highlighted the seriousness of the situation, especially given Iran's involvement in supporting terrorism and escalating violence in the Middle East. It called for transparency regarding any private communications with Iranian officials and urged Kerry to refrain from future backchannel efforts that could benefit Iran.

The congressmen also pressed Kerry to commit to ceasing any backchannel communications with Iran and other foreign governments in the event of a change in administrations. The letter underscored the importance of ensuring that U.S. citizens, including Kerry, do not inadvertently support regimes like Iran, which pose threats to international security.

The full letter can be accessed for further details on the concerns raised by Congressman Waltz and his colleagues regarding John Kerry's interactions with Iranian officials.