The U.S. government first connected Khalil to al-Qaeda when it sanctioned him as the alleged leader of an al-Qaeda fundraising and logistics network in Iran on 28 July 2011.[4] According to the U.S. Treasury Department, Khalil has lived and operated in Iran since 2005 under agreement between al-Qaeda and the Iranian government. In his role as al-Qaeda's representative in Iran, Khalil works with the organization's senior leaders to transfer money and recruits via Iranian territory to Pakistan and Afghanistan. Khalil reportedly tasks new operatives with delivering $10,000 to al-Qaeda's leadership in Pakistan.