6 Things to Know About the Shocking Allegations Concerning Obama, Hezbollah and Iran

By Samuel Smith, Deputy Managing Editor Wednesday, December 20, 2017

5. Former CIA officer says "concessions" were made in order secure Iran deal

The logo of the Central Intelligence Agency in the entry of their headquarters. | (National Public Radio)

One former CIA agent who spoke with Politico explained that as the Obama administration worked toward securing the nuclear deal with Iran, Iranian officials expressly asked to "lay off Hezbollah."

Politico also reports that Drug Enforcement Administration operations in the Middle East were also shut down because of political sensitivities associated with the deal.

"During the negotiations, early on, they [the Iranians] said listen, we need you to lay off Hezbollah, to tamp down the pressure on them, and the Obama administration acquiesced to that request," the former CIA officer said. "It was a strategic decision to show good faith toward the Iranians in terms of reaching an agreement."

The CIA officer stated that the Obama administration "really, really, really wanted the deal" and as a result, "we were making concessions that had never been made before." The officer stated that the concessions were "outrageous to anyone in the agency."

The officer stated that the orders received from Washington upset field agents who knew that Hezbollah "was still doing assassinations and other terrorist activities."