US Intelligence Warns of Advanced Iranian Assassination Plots

US intelligence officials have warned that Iranian forces are actively planning high-profile assassinations of American diplomats and officials abroad, and that several of those plots appear to have progressed to advanced stages. The warning, sent in a brief, unclassified memo, comes as Washington tightens security at its embassies and considers the possibility of a new round of military strikes on Tehran.

The memo, attributed to Director of National Intelligence Jay Clayton, said intelligence agencies had detected a substantial increase in Iranian efforts to target U.S. Personnel in the Middle East and beyond. It urged that the information be shared with a wider group of Americans, including those who are not normally authorized to receive such intelligence, and offered to declassify additional material to aid that dissemination. The document was obtained by Axios and subsequently reported by Yahoo News.

In the weeks before the memo, the State Department had already begun reducing the diplomatic footprint in several countries. Family members and non-essential staff were ordered to leave the U.S. Embassy in Riyadh and the consulates in Jeddah and Dhahran, Saudi Arabia. Similar cuts were announced for the U.S. Missions in the United Arab Emirates, Lebanon, Qatar and Jordan. A U.S. Official, quoted by Axios, explained the decision, saying We decided that due to the threat of Houthi attacks and Iranian terror plots we need to reduce our footprint and keep only essential staff. The memo does not identify specific assassination targets, countries outside the Middle East where attacks might occur or details of the suspected plots.

These reductions occur against a backdrop of long-standing U.S. Counter-terrorism efforts targeting Iranian state-sponsored groups. The U.S. Department of State Country Reports on Terrorism 2019 notes that Iran, through its Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps and the Qods Force, has historically financed and orchestrated terrorist operations worldwide. The report records that Iran’s backing of Hizballah, Hamas and other organizations has persisted even under heavy U.S. Sanctions, and that the regime continues to facilitate al-Qa’ida networks. The State Department’s designation of the IRGC as a Foreign Terrorist Organisation is highlighted as a landmark measure aimed at curbing Iran’s terror-financing and operational networks.

President Trump, speaking at a rally in Florida on Friday, hinted that a new U.S. Military operation might be launched against Iran if the regime did not agree to a diplomatic settlement. He compared the potential strike to a little Operation Epic Fury, signalling that Washington could again confront Tehran militarily. These remarks, coupled with the intelligence memo, underscore the high level of uncertainty surrounding U.S.–Iran relations.

The memo’s suggestion to declassify intelligence indicates a willingness to broaden the information flow to a wider pool of U.S. Personnel, potentially including those stationed in less-secure posts.

The U.S. Intelligence community’s assessment that Iranian plots are in advanced stages suggests that any delay could increase risk to American personnel abroad. Meanwhile, regional security has deteriorated sharply, with Iranian retaliatory strikes hitting locations across the Gulf and prompting emergency diplomatic actions, including Saudi Arabia summoning the Iranian ambassador on Sunday, 25 October 2026.

For U.S. Diplomats and government officials, the memo’s call for wider dissemination of the intelligence signals a shift toward a more proactive security posture. Looking ahead, international bodies and regional governments are responding to the spiralling crisis, with the International Atomic Energy Agency scheduling an extraordinary meeting on Monday, 26 October 2026, to address the military strikes against Iran's territory and atomic programme.