President Donald Trump said late Monday that his administration would retaliate to any form of attack by the Iranian regime with an attack “that will be 1,000 times greater in magnitude.”
In a Twitter statement, the president wrote, “According to press reports, Iran may be planning an assassination, or other attack, against the United States in retaliation for the killing of terrorist leader Soleimani, which was carried out for his planning a future attack, murdering U.S. Troops, and the death & suffering caused over so many years.
“Any attack by Iran, in any form, against the United States will be met with an attack on Iran that will be 1,000 times greater in magnitude!” he wrote.
…caused over so many years. Any attack by Iran, in any form, against the United States will be met with an attack on Iran that will be 1,000 times greater in magnitude!
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) September 15, 2020
Trumps statement comes after South Africas State Security Agency said on Monday it has “noted reports about an alleged plot to assassinate the United States Ambassador to South Africa, Ambassador Lana Marks.” The agency also said that it was taking steps to ensure no harm would come to any diplomats stationed in the country.
Marks, a close ally of Trump, was sworn in as U.S. ambassador on Oct. 4 last year.
Read MoreSouth Africa Security Agency Notes Report of Iran Plot to Assassinate US Ambassador
Politico first reported on the matter, writing on Sept. 13 that, “The Iranian government is weighing an assassination attempt against the American ambassador to South Africa,” citing U.S. intelligence reports via an unnamed U.S. government official and another official who reportedly told the outlet they had seen the intelligence.
The outlet added, citing the unnamed officials, that the intelligence about the threat became more specific in recent weeks, and that the Iranian Embassy in Pretoria, South Africa, was involved.
A spokesperson for the Iranian embassy in Pretoria rejected the claim in a statement to local outlet Independent Media on Monday.
“While I deny this baseless accusation, we will provide you with more information soon,” Hamid Reza told the outlet.
The Politico report said that news of the plot comes amid IransRead More – Source
