Two Iranian officials, including a member of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC), told The New York Times that Iran is developing new assassination plots targeting U.S. diplomats and other government officials.
The sources corroborated U.S. intelligence assessments indicating that Iran is expanding its operational capacity to carry out lethal attacks against American officials and civilians.
American officials have voiced concern that Iran has reached the “advanced stages” of planning these attacks. This comes as Tehran also braces for a potential Israeli or U.S. strike, marking a dangerous new escalation in the longstanding conflict.
A U.S. official warned that intelligence suggests Iranian operatives—individuals who are “not simply Iranian nationals”—are operating within the United States. However, the official noted that such operatives frequently inflate their true capabilities in communications with Tehran.
A U.S. official confirmed to The Jerusalem Post on Friday that Secretary of State Marco Rubio, who also serves as National Security Adviser, received an intelligence memorandum warning that Iran has markedly intensified efforts to target American officials and citizens, with lethal attack plots reportedly in advanced stages.
The confirmation followed an Axios report on an October 23 memorandum from Director of National Intelligence Jay Clayton to Rubio, copied to CIA Director John Ratcliffe.
The intelligence chief cautioned that information regarding Iranian plots targeting U.S. government personnel pertains to a broader audience than the group currently cleared to receive it.
Idan Kweller contributed to this report.