U.S. intelligence memo warns of advanced Iranian plots against officials abroad

U.S. intelligence agencies have assessed that Iran has substantially increased efforts to target American diplomats and senior officials overseas, with some alleged lethal plots reaching “advanced stages,” according to an intelligence memo reported by Axios and other outlets.

The memo was sent to Secretary of State Marco Rubio and said the suspected activity extended across the Middle East and other countries. The New York Times, as cited by Al Jazeera, reported that U.S. officials had recently assessed threats against officials including ambassadors, identified potential targets in Europe and received indications that Iranian operatives were active inside the United States. One official, however, questioned Iran’s ability to carry out all of its alleged plans.

The U.S. government has not publicly released the memo or detailed the intelligence supporting the assessment. Al Jazeera reported that a U.S. official confirmed the document’s authenticity on behalf of the Trump administration.

The warning contributed to State Department decisions to reduce diplomatic staffing in several Middle Eastern countries, according to reports cited by Ynet and Al Jazeera. Those moves also followed concern about attacks by Yemen’s Iran-backed Houthis and the possibility of renewed U.S. and Israeli strikes on Iran. The countries affected reportedly include Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, Lebanon, Qatar and Jordan.