The White House is reportedly concerned Iran may attempt to carry out assassination attempts against former Trump administration officials, or the former President himself. On Sunday, national security adviser Jake Sullivan made comments regarding the concerning messaging from Iran, noting that the United States is aware of and monitoring any threats against U.S. officials.
According to The Washington Examiner:
“Make no mistake: the United States of America will protect and defend its citizens,” White House national security adviser Jake Sullivan said Sunday. “This includes those serving the United States now and those who formerly served.”
Iranian officials have made explicit their interest in killing one of the people involved in the U.S. strike that killed Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps Gen. Qassem Soleimani. The regime observed the second anniversary of his death last week, which occasioned a flurry of truculent rhetoric and the unveiling of economic sanctions by Iran that U.S. observers take as a proxy for a threat of violence.
“Wherever it is needed, we will provide for the basis of revenge against the Americans from within their houses and by people by their side without us being present,” IRGC Quds Force Commander Sardar Esmail Qaani said in remarks published by Iranian media. “If wise people in America are found who deal with those who committed the atrocity of assassinating Commander Soleimani, this action will be much less burdensome for America than if the offspring of the Resistance Front, who know no bounds, to themselves go and take this revenge.”
“In essence, a government official in the world’s foremost state sponsor of terrorism invited Americans to partake in domestic terrorism against one another,” said Foundation for Defense of Democracies senior fellow Behnam Ben Taleblu, who translated the Iranian general’s remarks. “The Islamic Republic has tried to use intimidation, harassment, the threat of violence, as well as actual violence, to include kidnapping, terror, and assassination, to silence critics abroad for four decades. In this regard, its latest ‘sanctions’ can be seen as another vector in its terror campaign.”
Sullivan promised to retaliate against any operation to take out U.S. officials, “We will work with our allies and partners to deter and respond to any attacks carried out by Iran.”
