Iranian plots to kill U.S. officials in Middle East have reached ‘advanced stages,’ intel memo warns

Iran has increased efforts to target U.S. personnel in the Middle East and other countries, according to a memo sent by the Director of National Intelligence Jay Clayton to Secretary of State Marco Rubio on Friday.

The memo warned that “the lethal plotting efforts by the Iranians against U.S. citizens have reached advanced stages.”

A U.S. official confirmed the authenticity of the memo first reported by Axios.

The intelligence comes days after sources told NBC News the U.S. military has quietly been scaling back its troop presence at bases across the Middle East. The State Department ordered a further reduction in staff at multiple diplomatic posts in the region, including Lebanon, UAE, Qatar and Jordan, according to a State Department official.

Those posts have already been placed on a “Restricted Operations” status and have been functioning with limited staffing since the start of the war.

Clayton told Rubio in the memo that the risk is “relevant to more individuals than are currently cleared to receive this information,” adding: “We will make every effort to downgrade as much intelligence as possible so you can share it with State Department personnel at your discretion.”

The reduction of American forces and diplomatic personnel…

Original source: https://www.nbcnews.com/business