Iran is preparing assassinations of U.S. officials – U.S. intelligence

U.S. intelligence believes that Iran is planning assassinations of American diplomats and officials working abroad, the Axios portal reports.

According to a memo dated October 23 sent to Secretary of State Marco Rubio, a copy of which was obtained by Axios, U.S. intelligence reports that Iran has «significantly stepped up» attempts to carry out assassinations of American diplomats and officials in the Middle East and beyond, with preparations for these operations having moved into an «advanced stage.»
The document contains a warning about Iran's already «developed» plans to eliminate American officials abroad.

According to representatives of the American authorities, this intelligence was one of the reasons why the State Department is currently reducing staff numbers at a number of U.S. embassies in the Middle East amid growing concerns about a possible expansion of the regional conflict, the portal notes.
The United States, in particular, fears that the Iran-backed Yemeni Houthi rebels could extend their attacks beyond Saudi Arabia to other countries in the region. The security situation is also complicated by the likelihood of a resumption of U.S. and Israeli military operations against Iran, possibly after the U.S. congressional midterm elections in early November, Axios points out.

American President Donald Trump, speaking the day before at a rally in Florida, said that the United States could conduct another military operation against Iran along the lines of «Epic Fury.»

«We can stage another little operation «Epic Fury,» - Trump said, using the name of the American-Israeli campaign against Iran that began on February 28.

He called on Iranian officials to agree to U.S. demands in order to put an end to the conflict.
«If they (the Iranian representatives - ed.) are smart, they will simply say: «Let's get down to business,» - Trump noted, adding: «But I doubt they will do so - perhaps they just don't have enough brains.

In the memo, U.S. Director of National Intelligence Jay Clayton warned Rubio that information about the assassinations being prepared by Iran should be conveyed to a wider circle of employees than those who currently have the right to access it. Meanwhile, the document does not name specific targets, countries (apart from those in the Middle East) or details of the Iranian plans themselves.

Source: Interfax