Iran is planning to target United States diplomats and other officials in new assassination plots, according to two Iranian officials, including a member of the Iranian Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC), The New York Times reported on Saturday.
The officials told NYT that Americans were "fair game" due to Israel and the US having attacked and killed many Iranian officials, as well as some family members.
The Iranian officials also confirmed US intelligence reports that Iran was working to increase its ability to actually execute assassination plots against US officials and civilians.
US officials expressed concern Iran was in the “advanced stages” of planning these attacks, while Iran is also preparing for the possibility of an Israeli or US strike against it, kickstarting a new phase in the ongoing war between them.
One US official warned that evidence existed suggesting that Iranian operatives who are "not just simply Iranian nationals" were present in the US, but that these operatives often exaggerate their actual ability to conduct attacks when communicating with Iran.
US intelligence reveals Iran increasing efforts to target Americans
A US official confirmed to The Jerusalem Post on Friday that US Secretary of State and National Security Adviser Marco Rubio received an intelligence memorandum warning that Iran has significantly increased its efforts to target American officials and citizens, with plots to carry out lethal attacks reaching advanced stages.
The confirmation came after Axios obtained an October 23 memorandum that Director of National Intelligence Jay Clayton sent to Rubio, with a copy to CIA Director John Ratcliffe.
The intelligence chief warned that information concerning Iranian plots to target American government personnel was relevant to a wider group of individuals than those currently authorized to receive it.
Idan Kweller contributed to this report.