Who is Ariane Tabatabai, senior Pentagon staffer who ‘leaked’ Israel’s plan to attack Iran?

American-Iranian Ariane Tabatabai, who serves as the Chief of Staff to the Assistant Secretary of Defence for Special Operations, was named as the primary suspect in the alleged leak of two highly classified intelligence documents, Sky News Arabia reported citing a senior Pentagon official.

The documents, which allegedly detail Israel’s plans for a possible retaliatory strike on Iran, were shared on the Telegram messaging platform. These documents, said to be prepared by the National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency based on satellite imagery from 15-16 October, contain US assessments of Israeli military planning, involving both the Israeli Air Force and Navy.

However, it is worth noting that the Pentagon has denied any involvement of Tabatabai in the investigation regarding the leak. The FBI is currently investigating the case. White House national security spokesman John Kirby said on Monday that the Biden administration is still uncertain whether the classified information was leaked or hacked but added that there is no indication of “additional documents like this finding their way into the public domain.”

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Who is Ariane Tabatabai?

Tabatabai, an American of Iranian descent, currently serves as the Chief of Staff to the Assistant Secretary of Defense for Special Operations and is also an officer in the US Naval Intelligence. Her role gives her access to sensitive naval operations and special forces movements, particularly in West Asia.

She holds a PhD from King’s College, London, and has previously worked as a researcher at the RAND Corporation and taught at Georgetown University. Following the allegations linking her to the leak, an internal review was conducted to assess whether she posed a security risk, according to reports. Tabatabai retained her top-secret security clearance at the US Department of Defense, while the FBI continues its investigation.

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In 2023, Tabatabai came under scrutiny when members of Congress wrote to Defence Secretary Lloyd Austin, requesting her removal from her role due to concerns over alleged communication with the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC).

Sky News Arabia’s claims linking her to the leak have been criticised by Fox News Pentagon correspondent Jennifer Griffin, who described the report as “irresponsible.” Griffin said that she spoke to Tabatabai, who confirmed she had not been contacted by investigators and still held her security clearance, adding that “this story is NOT TRUE.”

The classified document leak

The FBI announced on Tuesday that it is investigating the unauthorised release of classified documents regarding Israel’s preparation for a potential retaliatory strike on Iran. These documents, linked to the National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency and National Security Agency, describe Israel’s military movements following Iran’s ballistic missile attack on October 1.

The documents were shared within the “Five Eyes” intelligence alliance, consisting of the US, the UK, Canada, New Zealand, and Australia.

John Kirby stated that President Joe Biden is “deeply concerned” about the unauthorised release of the documents, stressing that it is “unacceptable” for classified information to be leaked to the public.

“We’re deeply concerned, and the president remains deeply concerned about any leakage of classified information into the public domain. That is not supposed to happen, and it’s unacceptable when it does,” he said.

The leak comes at a critical time in West Asia as Israel considers its response to Iran’s attack. Rita Katz, co-founder and executive director of the SITE Intelligence Group, said, “The smallest item — even something like the leak of this relatively innocuous document — could move things in new directions.”

Pentagon denies Tabatabai’s involvement

The Pentagon has declined to comment on its specific role in the investigation but confirmed that US Defence Secretary Lloyd Austin had spoken with his Israeli counterpart on the matter. Pentagon Press Secretary Maj. Gen. Pat Ryder said the investigation is in its early stages and should be allowed to proceed.

On Tabatabai’s alleged involvement, Ryder stated, “To my knowledge, this official is not a subject of interest.”

Ryder further noted that the FBI is leading the investigation and is working closely with the Department of Defense and the intelligence community.

“The investigation is in its first few days, so it’s important to let that investigation run its course,” he said, adding that the department takes the safeguarding of sensitive information very seriously and will continue to do so.

What the documents reveal

The two documents allegedly provide a classified US analysis of Israel’s preparations to strike Iranian targets, based on intelligence gathered from October 15-16 by the National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency. They detail Israel’s use of two Air-launched Ballistic Missile (ALBM) systems: Golden Horizon and Rocks, according to the BBC.

The Rocks system, manufactured by Israeli firm Rafael, is a long-range missile designed to target both surface and underground sites. Golden Horizon is believed to refer to the Blue Sparrow missile system, which has a range of around 2,000 kilometres (1,240 miles).

The documents suggest that Israel is planning a larger version of its previous ALBM attack on an Iranian radar installation near Isfahan in April, the media outlet reported. However, they show no indication that Israel intends to activate its nuclear deterrent.

With inputs from agencies