The United States has warned the Iranian government to stop plotting against Republican Donald Trump and said Washington would consider any attempt on his life an act of war, a U.S. official said Monday.
The official, who spoke on condition of anonymity, said U.S. President Joe Biden had been regularly briefed on the threats and had asked his team to address Iranian plots against Americans.
At Mr. Biden’s direction, senior U.S. officials sent messages to the highest levels of the Iranian government, warning Tehran to cease plotting against Mr. Trump and former U.S. officials, the official added.
The Iranians were told that Washington would consider any attempt on Mr. Trump’s life an act of war.
Iran has denied interference in US affairs. Tehran, meanwhile, says Washington has interfered in its affairs for decades, citing events ranging from a 1953 coup against a prime minister to the 2020 assassination of its military commander in a American drone.
In January 2020, Mr. Trump ordered a US airstrike that killed Iran’s top military commander at the time, Qassem Soleimani, after receiving information that Mr. Soleimani was planning imminent attacks on diplomats and forces. US armies in Iraq, Lebanon, Syria and other parts of the Middle East.
Mr Trump, a Republican, is now seeking to return to the White House after losing the 2020 election to Mr Biden. He is currently battling Vice President Kamala Harris in the race for the November 5 election.
His campaign said on September 24 that Mr. Trump had been briefed by U.S. intelligence about the alleged threat from Iran.
The White House said the United States had been closely monitoring Iranian threats against Mr Trump for years and warned of “serious consequences” if Tehran attacked a US citizen.
“We consider this to be a matter of national and internal security of the highest priority, and we strongly condemn Iran for these brazen threats. If Iran attacks any of our citizens, including those who continue to serve the United States or those who have previously served the United States, Iran will face serious consequences,” said White House National Security Council spokesman Sean Savett.
He added that “appropriate agencies continually and promptly provide the former president’s security team with information on evolving threats.”
“Additionally, President Biden reiterated his directive that the United States Secret Service should be provided with all necessary resources, capabilities, and protective measures to address the evolving threats facing the former President,” Mr. Savett said.
