The Iranian regime remains heavily invested in global terrorism, continuing to target high-profile former U.S. officials, according to a recent U.S. State Department notice sent to Congress and reported by the Washington Free Beacon. This classified memo revealed Iran’s active plots to assassinate former Secretary of State Mike Pompeo and former Iran envoy Brian Hook.
The Free Beacon report underscores the “serious and credible” nature of these threats, highlighting Tehran’s ongoing retaliation for U.S. policies that isolated Iran and its proxies. Reports suggest that these assassination attempts are part of Iran’s broader strategy to disrupt the United States by targeting leaders involved in prior tough sanctions and regional strategies against the regime.
In late September, former President Donald Trump also reported being briefed on real and imminent threats from Iran, further elevating concerns that Tehran’s plans aim to create instability and discord in the United States. Trump addressed these threats publicly, claiming that Iranian operatives have attempted, but failed, in previous plots and remain undeterred.
Iran’s ambitions first came to public attention in January 2022, when similar assassination plans targeting Brian Hook were disclosed. Since then, at least 20 congressional notifications have detailed consistent threats against Hook, while 17 notices have addressed threats against Pompeo. Both Hook and Pompeo, along with former National Security Adviser John Bolton, remain under U.S. government protection due to the continuous threat from Iran.
The FBI remains on high alert, currently tracking Iranian operatives, including Majid Dastjani Farahani, an Iranian intelligence officer allegedly recruiting individuals to carry out lethal operations within the United States. This hunt illustrates the depth of Iran’s reach and persistence in pursuing these former officials.
Earlier this year, the Biden administration faced criticism from Free Beacon sources for allegedly concealing the full scope of these assassination plots. According to Senator Ted Cruz, U.S. officials have been accused of restricting information about these threats to minimize public discussion, potentially to avoid disrupting diplomatic engagements with Tehran.
Further emphasizing Iran’s global terrorism network, the regime reportedly maintains a “hit list” of U.S. officials involved in the 2020 strike against General Qassem Soleimani, a top Iranian commander. Assistant Attorney General for National Security Matt Olsen described Tehran’s operations as “extraordinarily serious,” with significant efforts directed at former Trump administration aides.
In a 2022 documentary produced by Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps, Hussein Mousavian, a former Iranian nuclear negotiator now based at Princeton University, recounted the distress experienced by Hook’s family, further illustrating the regime’s attempt to intimidate and instill fear in its adversaries abroad.
