DNI Clayton Directs Staff Withdrawals From Seven Middle East Missions

Director of National Intelligence Jay Clayton notified Secretary of State Marco Rubio that Iranian intelligence agencies are in the advanced stages of planning attacks on American personnel overseas. The internal memo, first reported by Axios and The New York Times, states that US agencies have gathered evidence showing Iran has substantially increased efforts to target US citizens abroad.

Clayton’s warning identifies lethal plots in the Middle East and other countries. According to officials speaking to The New York Times, threats to American officials, including ambassadors, have been assessed in recent weeks. Intelligence reports also indicate that Iran has identified potential targets in Europe and that Iranian operatives are currently active inside the United States.

Washington has not issued a public statement regarding the memo, though a US official confirmed its authenticity to The New York Times. Another official noted that while Iran’s ambitions are high, its capacity to execute all planned attacks remains limited. The assessment places threats to US citizens in the Middle East at the highest level since the US-Israel war against Iran began on February 28.

The State Department announced on Wednesday that it is removing non-essential staff from its embassy in Saudi Arabia. The department cited escalating attacks on Saudi infrastructure by the Iran-backed Houthis in Yemen as the primary driver for the move. A US official told The New York Times that both Houthi attacks and Iranian terror plots targeting US officials are influencing these decisions.

Media reports indicate that similar staff reductions are occurring at other diplomatic posts. CNN reported that embassies in the United Arab Emirates, Bahrain, Kuwait, Qatar, Jordan, and Lebanon have quietly cut personnel. These actions align with Clayton’s directive to minimize exposure to potential Iranian threats across the region.

President Donald Trump commented on the situation on Friday, stating that the US may engage in another "little epic fury." This phrase is the codename for the ongoing conflict. The timing of the warning coincides with reports that the US and Israel may be preparing a new military campaign following next month's mid-term elections.

Iran has not responded directly to the intelligence memo. However, Revolutionary Guard spokesman Hossein Mohebbi said on Wednesday that Tehran would adopt a new offensive strategy if the US resumed attacks. Mohebbi stated that Iran would no longer limit itself to retaliation and added that the quality, range, and power of Iranian missiles have improved.

Reuters cited two senior Iranian security officials who reported that Tehran has detailed plans to target undersea communications cables in the Gulf if new US-Israeli strikes occur. Mohsen Rezaei, Iran’s security chief, warned that cables, data centers, and artificial intelligence facilities across the region could be hit if war resumes.

US authorities have a history of accusing Iran of plotting against Americans. In March, a US court convicted a Pakistani national of plotting to assassinate Trump and other politicians on orders from the Revolutionary Guard. In 2022, a Guard member was charged with arranging the killing of former national security adviser John Bolton, allegedly offering $300,000 to operatives in the US.

In 2025, the US intelligence community stated that Iran would continue to directly threaten US persons globally, particularly officials involved in the 2020 killing of Quds Force commander Qassem Soleimani. This month, US authorities pulled bombers from an airbase in England following a security incident. UK authorities arrested several men on suspicion of working with Iranian intelligence after the event.