US intelligence memo warns of advanced Iranian plots targeting officials in Middle East

An October 23 memo from the Director of National Intelligence to U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio reveals Iran has significantly escalated its attempts to assassinate American diplomats and officials abroad, with plots now reaching advanced stages, according to Axios. This intelligence underscores mounting concerns among U.S. officials about the potential for a wider regional conflict.

The State Department is reducing personnel at several American embassies in the Middle East due to fears of heightened tensions and the possibility of renewed military operations from either the U.S. or Israel against Iran, potentially following the midterm elections.

The memo, unclassified, cautions that more U.S. personnel should be informed about these Iranian assassination plots than are currently authorized. While the memo does not specify target countries or the nature of the plots, it emphasizes the need for broader dissemination of the sensitive information to personnel who may be at risk. Intelligence Director Jay Clayton offered to declassify portions of the intel to facilitate more widespread sharing among at-risk personnel.

In response to these threats, the State Department has ordered nonessential personnel and family members to leave the U.S. Embassy in Riyadh and consulates in Jeddah and Dhahran. Additionally, reductions in U.S. diplomatic and government personnel have been implemented at embassies in the United Arab Emirates, Lebanon, Qatar, and Jordan, citing the threat of Houthi attacks and Iranian terror plots. CNN was the first to report on these personnel reductions in the specified embassies.