The Obama State Department headed by then-Secretary John Kerry interfered with the FBI and other law enforcement that wanted to take action against Iranian targets.

Sen. Chuck Grassley (R-IA), chairman of the Senate Judiciary Committee, released a report on Tuesday detailing whistleblower testimony and documents that show the Obama State Department’s interference in law enforcement matters involving Iran. The interference began during the time that the Obama administration pursued a deal on nuclear energy and weapons with Iran.

The Iowa Republican called the report “chilling” in a statement and accused the Obama administration of “jeopardiz[ing] our national security.” The report says that the interference only stopped with President Donald Trump’s ascension to the White House in 2017.

“Democrats’ historic refusal to get tough on Iran emboldened its regime and allowed Tehran to continue funding global acts of terrorism, like what we saw on October 7, 2023,” Grassley said. “We should all be breathing a sigh of relief President Trump is back in the White House to restore American strength on the world stage and hold Iran accountable for its evil acts.”

One FBI official said that Kerry “personally” interfered with the Department of Justice on one occasion, ordering officials to “stand down on an arrest,” according to the report.

“The State Department and Obama-Biden administration officials persistently and systematically derailed criminal and national security investigations, creating a shadow amnesty program that protected scores of additional Iranian criminals,” one whistleblower said. “FBI offices abandoned dozens of Iran-related investigations and U.S. Attorneys shut down prosecutions after recognizing the State Department and DOJ obstruction would thwart effective enforcement efforts.”

The report contains whistleblower testimony and FBI emails that detail State Department interference with law enforcement in ways that benefited targeted Iranian officials. Those Iranians included officials with warrants and those targeted by U.S. sanctions.

“According to unclassified FBI email records, before and after the Iran Nuclear Deal was finalized, the State Department prevented the FBI and other U.S. law enforcement agencies from enforcing U.S. sanctions and export control violations against Iranians and actively obstructed their pursuit to arrest these individuals,” the report says.

Whistleblower disclosures said, “Obama-Biden administration officials in the State Department and DOJ refused to allow already-indicted criminals investigated for years from being arrested on lawfully issued arrest warrants.’”

While the interference took place, the State Department led by Kerry was negotiating the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA), also known as the Iran nuclear deal. The deal was pitched by the Biden administration as a way to prevent Iran from building a nuclear weapon, though critics said the deal had weak oversight that made Iran’s path to a weapon easier.