Black Cube, an Israeli private intelligence firm that tried to dig up dirt on women who accused film producer Harvey Weinstein of sexual abuse also carried out an undercover effort to discredit former Obama administration officials who advocated for the Iran nuclear agreement, The New Yorker magazine reported.

The New Yorker was following up a report on Saturday by Britain's Observer newspaper that said an unidentified Israeli firm had been hired by aides to President Donald Trump "to orchestrate a 'dirty ops' campaign against key individuals from the Obama administration who helped negotiate the Iran nuclear deal" signed in 2015.

Specifically, the Observer said, the Israeli outfit was directed by Trump affiliates in May 2017 to "get dirt" on Ben Rhodes, a leading national security advisor to President Barack Obama, and Colin Kahl, Obama's deputy assistant.

Trump is currently considering whether to have the United States withdraw as a party to the agreement with Iran, which lifted international sanctions against that nation in exchange for limits on its nuclear program. A May 12 deadline looms for Trump's decision.

Black Cube's web site says the firm is comprised of "select group of veterans from the Israeli elite intelligence units that specializes in tailored solutions to complex business and litigation challenges."

Black Cube was retained by Weinstein's attorney, David Boies, in 2016 as part of an effort to prevent publication of stories about Weinstein allegedly abusing multiple women, The New Yorker first reported last fall.

Among other activities by the firm, an investigator from Black Cube who claimed to be a women's rights advocate secretly recorded several meetings with Rose McGowan, the actress who has since accused Weinstein of raping her, according to the magazine.