WASHINGTON: Bill and Hillary Clinton will testify in a US House investigation surrounding deceased sex offender Jeffrey Epstein, a spokesman for the ex-president said, heading off a potential vote to hold the couple in contempt.

They had originally refused to appear before lawmakers examining how authorities handled earlier investigations into the disgraced financier, who had connections and correspondence with the world’s business and political elite.

“The former President and former Secretary of State will be there. They look forward to setting a precedent that applies to everyone,” Clinton spokesman Angel Urena said on X.

The House Rules Committee had advanced resolutions accusing the Clintons of defying subpoenas to appear in person to explain their links to Epstein, who died in custody in 2019.

The Epstein affair continues to cast a long shadow over Washington, entangling some of the most prominent names in US politics and highlighting the sharp partisan battles that have shaped the scandal.

Democrats say the probe is being weaponised to attack political opponents of President Donald Trump — himself a longtime Epstein associate who has not been called to testify — rather than to conduct legitimate oversight.

Trump spent months trying to block the disclosure of investigative files linked to Epstein, who moved in elite circles for years, cultivating ties with billionaires, politicians, academics and celebrities.

Democratic divisions

Neither Trump nor the Clintons have been accused of criminal wrongdoing related to Epstein۔s activities.

In letters where they initially refused to appear in Washington, the Clintons had argued that the subpoenas were invalid because they lacked a clear legislative purpose.

Republicans say the Democratic couple’s past links to the business tycoon, including Bill Clinton۔s use of his private jet in the early 2000s, justify in-person questioning under oath.

Instead, the couple submitted sworn written statements describing their knowledge of Epstein and his associate Ghislaine Maxwell, who is serving a 20-year prison sentence for sex trafficking.

Bill Clinton acknowledged flying on Epstein´s plane for Clinton Foundation-related humanitarian work, but said he never visited his private island.

Hillary Clinton said she had no meaningful interactions with Epstein, never flew on his plane and never visited his island.

After the Clintons agreed to testify, the Rules Committee decided Monday evening to suspend for the time being its vote on the contempt proceedings.

The vote and its targeting of the Clintons could have exposed divisions among congressional Democrats.

Some Democrats have privately acknowledged that their party has long argued no one should be beyond scrutiny in efforts to uncover the full scope of Epstein’s crimes.

But others feared that advancing the contempt resolutions would have played into a partisan strategy to shift attention away from Trump´s past contacts with Epstein.

The Justice Department released last week what it said would be the final batch of files related to the investigation into Epstein.

A group of rights groups have taken the Trump administration to court over a sudden halt in processing immigrant visas for citizens from 75 countries, saying the move has upended settled immigration rules. 

The lawsuit filed in federal court in Manhattan asked a judge to issue a court order blocking the policy, which took effect on January 21.

The complaint asserted that the State Department’s policy is “based on an unsupported and demonstrably false claim that nationals of the covered countries migrate to the United States to improperly rely on cash welfare and are likely to become ‘public charges.’”

“A visa is a privilege not a right,” State Department spokesperson Tommy Pigott said in a statement, adding that the visa policy prevents billions of dollars in waste, fraud, and abuse.

“The Department is pausing issuance to evaluate and enhance screening and vetting procedures – but we will never stop fighting for American citizens first,” Pigott said.

The lawsuit was brought by the National Immigration Law Center and other groups on behalf of a wide range of plaintiffs, including US citizens who say they have been separated from family members because of the policy.

Another plaintiff is an endocrinologist from Colombia who was approved for an employment-based visa but cannot receive it because Colombia is one of the countries subject to the policy.

The pause has impacted applicants from Latin American countries, including Brazil, Colombia and Uruguay, Balkan countries such as Bosnia and Albania, South Asian countries Pakistan and Bangladesh, and those from many nations in Africa, the Middle East and the Caribbean.

The State Department policy does not impact US visitor visas, which have been in the spotlight given that the United States is hosting the 2026 World Cup and 2028 Olympics.

A State Department cable outlining the move and seen by Reuters said the Department was undergoing a “full review” of all policies, regulations and guidance to ensure “the highest level of screening and vetting” for all US visa applicants.

The cable, sent to US missions, said applicants from the 75 impacted countries “are at a high risk for becoming a public charge and recourse to local, state and federal government resources in the United States.”

Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi says Iran has always been ready for talks based on mutual respect, but the Islamic Republic will not negotiate under pressure and intimidation.

Araghchi made the remarks on Monday as he and his colleagues at Foreign Ministry renewed their allegiance to the ideals of Imam Khomeini, the late founder of the Islamic Republic, at his mausoleum in southern Tehran.

He said the enemies now talk of diplomacy after the failure of both their anti-Iran plots over the past year, including the illegal US-Israeli aggression, and terrorist riots.

“Iran has always been ready for diplomacy from an equal footing, with mutual respect, and in pursuit of the interests of the Iranian nation.”

“Anyone who speaks to the Iranian nation with respect will be met with respect, while anyone who resorts to threats and force will be met likewise, ” he said.

“Diplomacy is incompatible with pressure, threats, and intimidation, and the Islamic Republic of Iran proceeds along this path with resolve and strength,” the foreign minister stated.

Araghchi also noted that Iran has always pursued diplomacy alongside resistance. The Foreign Ministry, he said, stands “in the same position” with the Iranian Armed Forces as they are all striving to secure the rights of the people, defend national interests, and preserve the national security.

Meanwhile, the foreign minister referred to the unprovoked US-Israeli aggression against Iran that killed at least 1,064 people between June 13 and 27, 2025.

He said the enemies waged the war at a time when Tehran was holding indirect talks with Washington over the nuclear issue, with Donald Trump, the president of the United States, explicitly calling for Iran’s “unconditional surrender.”

However, Araghchi said, the Iranian nation opted for resistance and conducted retaliatory strikes, leading the enemies to demand an unconditional ceasefire.

Referring to the recent foreign-linked riots, the top Iranian diplomat said the unrest had nothing to do with civil protests that are recognized under the Constitution.

During the riots, which were a continuation of the 12-day war, armed terrorists entered the field to carry on the enemies’ failed plot against Iran, Araghchi said.

In late December, Iran saw sporadic economic protests that were quickly hijacked by armed mercenaries incited by US and Israeli leaders and aided by their spy operatives on the ground.

Iran’s Foundation of Martyrs and Veterans Affairs said a total of 3,117 people lost their lives during the unrest, adding that 2,427 of those killed were innocent civilians and security personnel.

Over the course of the riots and following the events, Trump repeatedly threatened military action against Iran and built up American forces in the region.