U.S. Intelligence Warned of Threat from Iran While White House Downplayed Risks - Reuters
U.S. intelligence agencies, including the FBI, warned as early as March this year about a persistent threat from Iran to various targets within the United States, according to a document reviewed by Reuters.
The document, dated March 20, indicates that while the Iranian threat is ongoing, at that time, no signs of a large-scale danger to the general population of the country had been identified. Despite this, U.S. President Donald Trump repeatedly publicly downplayed the risks of attacks from Iran, asserting that he did not consider this threat to be real.
Interestingly, the report was released just weeks after media outlets reported that the White House had previously blocked the publication of similar intelligence documents, citing the need for further verification of the information. This raised concerns regarding the transparency and openness of the Trump administration on national security issues.
The document also notes that following the onset of conflict with Iran, the likelihood of physical threats to U.S. targets has increased. Specifically, it states that "violent extremists with various ideological views, including those opposed to the U.S. or Israel, may see this conflict as justification for violence."
According to information presented in the report, Iranian intelligence agencies have been implicated in past attempts to kidnap and murder Americans. While firearms have been the primary method used in most cases in the U.S., other forms of attacks have also been considered, such as "knife attacks, vehicle ramming, bombings, poisoning, strangulation, and arson."
Furthermore, the report indicates that Tehran typically prefers agents who already have legal status in the U.S. or can easily enter the country. Iranian authorities have actively monitored social media, live broadcasts, and mapping applications to select targets and assess their security, and have employed cyberattacks, including phishing emails, to gather information.
On the night of April 8, President Donald Trump announced that he had agreed to suspend bombings of Iran for two weeks on the condition of the immediate reopening of the Strait of Hormuz. He emphasized that this agreement entails a mutual ceasefire, marking an important step in reducing tensions in the region.
Subsequently, Iran's Supreme National Security Council confirmed the agreement for a two-week ceasefire with the U.S. The statement noted that the ceasefire agreement was made with the consent of Iran's new Supreme Leader Ayatollah Mojtaba Khamenei, indicating the possibility of a diplomatic resolution to the conflict.
Additionally, CNN, citing a senior White House official, reported that Israel also agreed to suspend bombings during the negotiations, which may indicate efforts to de-escalate tensions in the region and prevent further escalations of the conflict.