Several House Republicans sent a letter on Thursday to the Department of Justice calling for an investigation into whether New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani and his international affairs commissioner, Ana María Archila, violated the Logan Act by scheduling a meeting with the Iranian ambassador to the United Nations.  

Archila, who heads the New York City Mayor’s Office for International Affairs, had previously scheduled a July 7 meeting with Amir-Saeid Iravani, Iran’s U.N. ambassador, before the State Department intervened and the meeting was canceled. 

Mamdani claimed last week that the meeting was “made in error” and had been scheduled without his knowledge. The mayor also stressed that the Iranian mission had reached out to his team and not the other way around. 

The lawmakers argue that the planned meeting should be investigated for potentially violating the Logan Act, a centuries-old statute that prohibits American citizens from negotiating with foreign governments without authorization on behalf of the United States.

The letter was led by Rep. Addison McDowell (R-NC) and also signed by Reps. Buddy Carter (R-GA), Clay Fuller (R-GA), Pat Fallon (R-TX), Randy Fine (R-FL), Riley Moore (R-WV), Wesley Hunt (R-TX), Lauren Boebert (R-CO), Pete Sessions (R-TX), Pat Harrigan (R-NC), Rich McCormick (R-GA), Claudia Tenney (R-NY), Anna Paulina Luna (R-FL), and Max Miller (R-OH). 

The lawmakers said they were especially concerned about the attempted meeting in light of negotiations between the U.S. and Iran being “in a critical stage.”

“Given its timing, we believe this proposed meeting may have presented significant national security risks,” the letter reads. “In light of this, we respectfully ask that the Department of Justice investigate potential violations of the Logan Act on the part of the mayor’s office.” 

“We support President Trump’s efforts to shore up American economic and national security interests in the Middle East, and we understand the vulnerable nature of continued peace negotiations,” it continues. “For that reason, we believe that a formal investigation is necessary to determine whether Commissioner Archila, acting on behalf of Mayor Madani, engaged in any unlawful activity or communication with the Islamic Republic of Iran.”

The mayor’s office did not immediately respond to a request for comment.