PoliticoIran weighs plot to kill US ambassador to South Africa to avenge general’s death, officials say
- The Islamic Republic is still looking to avenge the death of Qassem Soleimani, US officials said
- US ambassador Lana Marks has personally known Donald Trump for more than two decades
This story is published in a content partnership with POLITICO. It was originally reported by Nahal Toosi and Natasha Bertrand on politico.com on September 13, 2020.
The Iranian government is considering assassinating the American ambassador to South Africa, US intelligence reports say, according to a US government official familiar with the issue and another official who has seen the intelligence.
News of the plot comes as Iran continues to seek ways to retaliate for President Donald Trump’s decision to kill a powerful Iranian general earlier this year, the officials said. If carried out, it could dramatically ratchet up already serious tensions between the US and Iran and create enormous pressure on Trump to strike back – possibly in the middle of a tense election season.
US officials have been aware of a general threat against the ambassador, Lana Marks, since the spring, the officials said. But the intelligence about the threat to the ambassador has become more specific in recent weeks. The Iranian embassy in Pretoria is involved in the plot, the US government official said.
Still, attacking Marks is one of several options US officials believe Iran’s regime is considering for retaliation since the general, Qassem Soleimani, was assassinated by a US drone strike in January. At the time, Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said the US killed Soleimani to re-establish deterrence against Iran.