Three individuals have been charged in a plot linked to Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) to assassinate President-elect Donald Trump as revenge for the 2020 killing of Qassem Soleimani. Two suspects, Carlisle Rivera and Jonathan Loadholt, are in custody, while the third, Farhad Shakeri, is believed to be in Tehran. The plot also targeted an Iranian-American activist and two Jewish Americans in New York. The U.S. Department of Justice has emphasized the ongoing threat posed by Iran to U.S. national security.
Iran has vehemently denied US media reports alleging it plotted to assassinate former President Donald Trump, calling the claims "malicious." While Iran aims to prosecute Trump for the 2020 killing of General Qassem Soleimani, it rejects any involvement in a recent armed attack on Trump in Pennsylvania. US authorities have heightened Trump's security due to the alleged Iranian threat, which remains a high-priority national security issue. An independent review has been ordered into the Secret Service's handling of the Pennsylvania shooting incident.
The National Security Council warned the Secret Service and the Trump campaign about an increased threat from Iran against former President Donald Trump, leading to heightened protection measures. This follows longstanding Iranian threats against Trump officials due to the killing of Qassem Soleimani. Despite the recent assassination attempt, no ties have been found between the shooter and any foreign or domestic accomplices.
The Islamic State's recent attack in Iran, which killed 84 people, is rooted in the group's longstanding hostility towards Shia Muslims, whom they consider heretical apostates. Iran's history of fighting jihadist groups, particularly IS, has made it a prime target for the organization. The resurgence of anti-Shia groups in Afghanistan, particularly ISIS-Khorasan, poses a significant threat to Iran, especially as the Taliban has failed to effectively counter these groups despite assurances to the contrary. The attack in Kerman serves as a stark reminder of the ongoing sectarian tensions and the complex web of conflicts in the region.
Iran has arrested suspects linked to the deadly bomb blasts at a memorial service for General Qassem Soleimani, which killed nearly 100 people. The attacks, claimed by Islamic State, are the bloodiest in Iran since 1979. Mourners at the funerals chanted for revenge, and Iranian officials have vowed to retaliate. The arrests were made across five cities, with further details pending.
Twin explosions in Kerman, Iran, during a ceremony commemorating the death of commander Qassem Soleimani, resulted in nearly 100 deaths and over 200 injuries. Iranian officials have labeled the incident a terrorist attack, vowing a harsh response. Global reactions include condemnation and calls for justice from entities such as the EU, Hezbollah, and the UN, while the US has denied any involvement. International leaders have expressed condolences and solidarity with Iran in the wake of the tragedy.
Over 100 individuals were killed and at least 141 wounded in two explosions that occurred during a commemoration event near the gravesite of General Qassem Soleimani in Kerman, Iran. Soleimani was a high-ranking Iranian military official killed by a U.S. drone strike in 2020. No group has claimed responsibility for the attack, which Iranian state media labeled as "terroristic." The U.S. State Department has denied any involvement, and while it's too early to determine the perpetrators, past attacks of a similar nature have been linked to groups like ISIS. The incident adds to the tensions in a region already on edge due to Israel's conflict with Hamas in the Gaza Strip.
A report by the Middle East Media Research Institute (MEMRI) claims that the late Iranian terrorist Qassem Soleimani engineered a plan to aid Hamas in a massacre of 1,300 people, including 27 Americans. The report suggests that Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei was aware of and supported this plan. While the U.S. State Department has not seen direct evidence of Iran's involvement, Secretary of State Antony Blinken acknowledges the long-standing relationship between Iran and Hamas. MEMRI's investigation also reveals Hamas' goal of breaching the Israeli border and penetrating Israeli territory. Iran has been designated the world's worst state sponsor of terrorism, while Hamas is designated a foreign terrorist organization by the U.S.
Saudi Arabian Foreign Minister Prince Faisal bin Farhan reportedly asked to switch the location of his joint press conference with his Iranian counterpart because the originally scheduled room featured a photo of slain Iranian general Qassem Soleimani on the wall. The Iranians complied and the press conference was held in a different room. The two foreign ministers discussed ways of bolstering cooperation in the fields of security, economy, tourism, and transportation. This was the first visit of a Saudi foreign minister to Iran since 2016, when Saudi Arabia severed relations with Iran.
The US has imposed sanctions on an Iranian Revolutionary Guard official and others for their alleged involvement in plots to kill former national security adviser John Bolton and other officials around the world. The plots are part of ongoing efforts by Iran’s Revolutionary Guard to avenge the 2020 US airstrike that killed Qassem Soleimani. The sanctions accuse three people based in Iran and Turkey, a company affiliated with Iran’s Quds Force, and two senior officials of Iran’s Intelligence Organization in global plots to kill former US officials, journalists, and Iranian dissidents abroad. The sanctions block all access to the targeted people's US money and property and prohibit Americans and American firms from working with them.
