OMM Newsroom
Iran has sharply increased efforts to target US officials in the Middle East and other countries, with some lethal plots reaching advanced stages, “Axios” reported on Friday, citing US intelligence. Anadolu Agency reported the findings.
The report cited an unclassified memo dated Oct. 23 from Director of National Intelligence Jay Clayton to Secretary of State Marco Rubio. Clayton wrote that the information was relevant to more personnel than were currently cleared to see it.
The one-page memo did not identify any targets, countries outside the Middle East or the nature of the plots.
According to “Axios”, the underlying intelligence had been shared with senior State Department staff. Clayton offered to downgrade it as much as possible so Rubio could share it more widely.
A US official told “Axios” that the intelligence was one reason the agency was reducing embassy personnel in the United Arab Emirates, Lebanon, Qatar and Jordan. “CNN” had reported the personnel reductions earlier.
Earlier this week, family members and nonessential staff were ordered to leave the embassy in Riyadh and the US consulates in Jeddah and Dhahran.
On Friday, President Donald Trump told a campaign rally in Florida that the US could launch another attack on Iran.
