US intelligence warns of advanced Iranian plots to kill Americans
A US official says threats from Iranian plots and Houthi attacks are informing embassy staffing decisions, following a departure order limited to Saudi Arabia.
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A US official says threats from Iranian plots and Houthi attacks are informing embassy staffing decisions, following a departure order limited to Saudi Arabia.
US intelligence assesses that Iran has substantially increased efforts to target US personnel abroad, with plots to kill US citizens reaching advanced stages in the Middle East and certain other countries, according to an unclassified memo reported by Fox News on 24 October. Al Jazeera, citing CNN, reports that staffing has also been reduced at US embassies in six countries beyond Saudi Arabia.
The warning follows the US State Department’s 21 October order for non-emergency US government employees and their families to leave Saudi Arabia because of escalating attacks by Iran-backed Houthi rebels. Director of National Intelligence Jay Clayton sent the memo to Secretary of State Marco Rubio on 23 October. Fox News said US officials confirmed its authenticity and that Axios first reported it.
US embassies in the United Arab Emirates, Bahrain, Kuwait, Qatar, Jordan and Lebanon have reduced staffing, according to CNN’s reporting cited by Al Jazeera. Those reported reductions are distinct from the announced departure order for Saudi Arabia.
The State Department said its departure order applied only to Saudi Arabia, not the entire Gulf region, and rejected reports of a broader regional shutdown as inaccurate.
A US official told Fox News that the government continually reviews security threats when deciding embassy staffing levels. The official said threats from Houthi attacks and alleged Iranian plots targeting US officials were informing staffing adjustments at some embassies in the region.
An official cited by The New York Times played down Iran’s ability to carry out attacks inside the US and elsewhere, saying it lacked the capacity to follow through on all its ambitions, Al Jazeera reported.
The October 26 meeting in Tehran brought Iran together with three countries bound by a defence pact, producing a commitment to further regional dialogue.
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Al Jazeera reported that Washington had not publicly commented on the memo, although a US official cited by The New York Times confirmed its authenticity on behalf of President Donald Trump’s administration.
The memo says intelligence officials will work to lower the classification of certain intelligence so it can be shared with State Department personnel.
Iranian officials said the 26 October meeting in Tehran opened discussions with members of the Mecca defence pact. Their account, not confirmed by Saudi Arabia or its allies, described an agreement to continue talks on regional cooperation.
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Launched during the war with the US and Israel, the Janfada campaign is reaching schools as the Basij militia plans more civilian training stations.
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Update ·
Adds reported US embassy staffing reductions in six more countries and an official’s caution about Iran’s capacity, while distinguishing those reductions from the Saudi departure order.