Patel Faces Senate Questioning on FBI Iran Expertise Losses Amid Elevated Threat

Reps. Magaziner and Thompson demanded FBI Director Patel account for firing agents from the CI-12 counterintelligence squad specializing in Iranian threats. The unit handled confidential informants in Iranian communities whose relationships cannot be transferred to replacement agents. Combined with ~300 national security agent departures and NSD offices losing half their staff, the FBI's Iran-specific capability gap has become a central line of questioning at both today's SSCI hearing and the upcoming HPSCI session.