House Republicans Demand DOJ Investigation Into Mamdani Administration’s Iran Outreach

House Republicans are demanding a federal investigation into whether New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani’s administration unlawfully attempted to interfere in American foreign policy by arranging a meeting with Iran’s ambassador to the United Nations.

Rep. Addison McDowell, R-N.C., led 13 other Republican lawmakers in asking the Department of Justice to examine whether members of Mamdani’s administration violated the Logan Act through unauthorized contact with representatives of the Islamic Republic of Iran.

“Mamdani doesn’t speak for America. President Trump does,” McDowell posted on X.

“Today I led a letter calling on the DOJ to investigate whether Mamdani’s Administration violated the Logan Act by engaging in unauthorized communications with the Islamic Republic of Iran,” he posted.

The controversy centers on Ana María Archila, commissioner of the New York City Mayor’s Office for International Affairs. According to the congressional letter, Archila had arranged a July 7 meeting with Amir-Saeid Iravani, Iran’s ambassador to the United Nations.

The outreach reportedly occurred while President Donald Trump’s administration was navigating a highly sensitive period in its negotiations with Tehran, raising concerns that a municipal official was attempting to operate outside the constitutional chain of command governing American diplomacy.

“Undermining national security has serious risks, and the mayor of New York should know better than to meddle in our foreign affairs during the height of negotiations between the White House and Iran,” McDowell said in a statement on his website.

“The Department of Justice needs to look into Mamdani’s office and ensure they are not acting as rogue agents to the detriment of America’s national security,” he added.

“Mamdani does not speak for America. President Trump earned the public’s trust to ensure the safety and security of the United States,” he said.

The letter was addressed to Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche and signed by McDowell alongside Republican Reps. Lauren Boebert, Earl “Buddy” Carter, Pat Fallon, Randy Fine, Clay Fuller, Pat Harrigan, Wesley Hunt, Rich McCormick, Max Miller, Riley Moore, Pete Sessions, Claudia Tenney, and Anna Paulina Luna.

The lawmakers wrote that Archila “had scheduled a July 7 meeting with the Islamic Republic of Iran’s ambassador to the United Nations, Amir-Saeid Iravani.”

“As you know, negotiations with Iran are in a critical stage. Given its timing, we believe this proposed meeting may have presented significant national security risks,” the letter said.

“In light of this, we respectfully ask that the Department of Justice investigate potential violations of the Logan Act (18 U.S. Code § 953) on the part of the mayor’s office. The Logan Act prohibits any unauthorized American citizen from negotiating with foreign governments on behalf of the United States.”

The Logan Act restricts private American citizens from conducting certain unauthorized communications with foreign governments when those communications are intended to influence disputes or measures involving the United States. The Justice Department has previously maintained that the law remains valid and enforceable unless Congress repeals it.

“Mayor Mamdani’s and Commissioner Archila’s actions create a clear conflict of interest with the United States’ strategic military actions in Iran and across the Middle East, warranting further examination by the Department,” the letter continued.

“We support President Trump’s effort to shore up American economic and national security interests in the Middle East, and we understand the vulnerable nature of continued peace negotiations,” the letter said.

“For that reason, we believe that a formal investigation is necessary to determine whether Commissioner Archila, acting on behalf of Mayor Mamdani, engaged in any unlawful activity or communication with the Islamic Republic of Iran,” the letter said.

The lawmakers’ concerns are amplified by the Constitution’s clear division of responsibilities. Foreign affairs are directed by the federal government, not by city officials seeking to conduct an independent diplomatic agenda from New York City Hall.

The planned meeting was ultimately canceled after State Department officials learned of the arrangement and intervened, according to the New York Post. One source told the outlet that Archila “scheduled it without checking in with anybody.”

The aborted Iran meeting was not the first time the Mamdani administration’s international ambitions collided with the Trump administration’s foreign-policy authority.

In June, Mamdani planned to meet Colombian President Gustavo Petro while the left-wing leader was visiting New York for United Nations events. The Colombian government canceled the engagement after State Department officials objected and warned that it would violate travel restrictions placed on Petro, according to The Washington Post.

Together, the two episodes have intensified questions about whether Mamdani’s office is focused on governing New York City or attempting to build a parallel foreign-policy operation aligned with international left-wing figures.

The Justice Department has not yet publicly announced whether it will open the investigation requested by McDowell and his Republican colleagues.