Robert Malley, born in 1963, is an American lawyer and political scientist specializing in conflict resolution. He has held significant roles in U.S. foreign policy, particularly concerning the Middle East. Malley was involved in the Clinton administration, serving at the National Security Council and as a member of the U.S. peace team that organized the 2000 Camp David Summit. He later worked with the International Crisis Group, a non-profit focused on preventing wars. During the Obama administration, he served on the National Security Council and was appointed as the lead negotiator for the 2015 Iran nuclear deal, known as the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA). He also served as President and CEO of the International Crisis Group after leaving the Obama administration. In 2021, President Biden appointed Malley as the U.S. special envoy for Iran, tasked with bringing the U.S. and Iran back into compliance with the JCPOA. However, in 2023, his security clearance was suspended pending an investigation into his handling of classified information, which was later referred to the FBI. He was subsequently placed on leave and later unpaid leave from his envoy position.

Born in 1963, Robert Malley's parents were Barbara Silverstein Malley, who worked for the Algerian National Liberation Front (FLN) delegation to the UN, and Simon Malley, an Egyptian Jewish journalist and foreign correspondent. The family relocated to France in 1969, where his father founded the magazine Africasia. Malley attended a bilingual school in Paris, graduating in 1980. His family left France in 1980 after his father's expulsion. Malley pursued higher education at Yale University, where he was a Rhodes Scholar at Oxford, earning a D.Phil. in political philosophy with a thesis on Third-worldism. He later obtained a J.D. from Harvard Law School, where he met future Supreme Court Justice Elena Kagan and future President Barack Obama. He clerked for Supreme Court Justice Byron White, while his future wife, Caroline Brown, clerked for Justice Sandra Day O'Connor.

Malley's career has focused on international affairs and conflict resolution. He served in the Clinton administration from 1994 to 2001, holding positions at the National Security Council, including Director for Democracy, Human Rights and Humanitarian Affairs, and Special Assistant to the President for Arab-Israeli Affairs. He played a role in organizing the 2000 Camp David Summit. After his government service, he worked with the International Crisis Group, focusing on the Middle East and North Africa. He was a key figure in the Obama administration, serving on the National Security Council and leading negotiations for the 2015 Iran nuclear deal (JCPOA). He later returned to lead the International Crisis Group before being appointed by President Biden as the Special Envoy to Iran in 2021.

Malley's career has also been marked by controversy. In 2008, his presidential campaign severed ties with him after reports of his discussions with Hamas. In 2023, his security clearance was suspended and an investigation was launched concerning his handling of classified information. The investigation was later referred to the FBI. Malley stated he was unaware of the reasons for the suspension. Reports suggest the investigation might stem from significant issues beyond minor errors. Despite the suspension, he continued some State Department duties until being placed on unpaid leave. An Iranian media outlet later published a purported memo detailing "serious security concerns" related to his conduct and handling of information, a claim corroborated by sources familiar with the investigation.

“My job with the International Crisis Group is to meet with all sorts of savory and unsavory people and report on what they say. I've never denied whom I meet with; that's what I do”

“The real choice in 2015 was between achieving a deal that constrained the size of Iran's nuclear program for many years and ensured intrusive inspections forever, or not getting one, meaning no restrictions at all coupled with much less verification.”