U.S. intelligence has warned that Iranian plots to kill Americans abroad have reached “advanced stages,” as Washington reduces diplomatic staffing across the Middle East amid mounting threats and the prospect of renewed military strikes against Tehran.
The warning was contained in an unclassified October 23 memorandum from Director of National Intelligence Jay Clayton to Secretary of State Marco Rubio, obtained and published by Axios, which reported that the intelligence was among the factors driving the diplomatic drawdowns.