WASHINGTON — U.S. intelligence has warned that Iranian efforts to target American citizens abroad have reached “advanced stages,” according to an unclassified memorandum dated October 23 from Director of National Intelligence Jay Clayton to Secretary of State Marco Rubio. The memo was first reported by Axios, and its authenticity was verified to USA Today by a U.S. official. The Associated Press also obtained the memo.
What the memo says
Clayton wrote that Iran has “substantially increased” its efforts to target U.S. personnel. “The lethal plotting efforts by the Iranians against U.S. citizens have reached advanced stages in both the Middle East and certain other countries,” he wrote.
Clayton also wrote that the information about Iranian efforts to target U.S. citizens was relevant to more people than were authorized to receive it, and he said he would work to downgrade the intelligence so it could be shared more widely within the State Department.
As reported, the memo does not name specific targets, does not name the countries outside the Middle East involved, and does not say whether any attack is imminent. These are U.S. intelligence assessments, not independently proven operational details.
Embassy staffing cuts
The warning is informing staffing decisions at U.S. embassies in the region that are on restricted operations status, a U.S. official said. Earlier in the week, the State Department ordered nonessential U.S. personnel and their families to leave Saudi Arabia amid attacks by Iran-backed Houthis.
“The safety and security of Department personnel and their families remain our highest priority, and we will continue to take all necessary steps to protect and support them,” State Department spokesperson Tommy Pigott said.
On Friday, the U.S. announced staffing reductions at four more embassies — in Jordan, Lebanon, Qatar and the United Arab Emirates — according to reports. The New York Times, citing unnamed U.S. officials, reported that the threat level against Americans in the Middle East and some other countries is at its highest since the Iran war began in February.
Why this matters
The memo lands at a moment of acute regional tension: Houthi attacks on Saudi Arabia have already forced one embassy drawdown, and U.S. officials say the threat from Iran-backed groups is part of what is driving the wider staffing cuts. For Americans living, working or traveling in the region, the practical consequence is already visible — thinner embassy staffing and heightened security at diplomatic posts.
What remains unknown is whether any specific plot will be disrupted, named or acted on publicly. Until officials say more, the public record is the warning itself and the staffing moves it has already set in motion.
Sources: Axios; USA Today; Associated Press; The New York Times.
