Iran has stepped up efforts to target American diplomats and officials in the Middle East, while US intelligence services have warned of advanced plans for deadly attacks. In this situation, the United States has started reducing personnel in several embassies in the region, due to fears of a further escalation of conflict.
According to the U.S. medium Axios, which refers to US intelligence assessments, this information is included in an informative memorandum sent to US Secretary of State Marco Rubio.
The report revealed that security concerns have influenced the US State Department’s decision to reduce the number of employees at American embassies in the United Arab Emirates, Lebanon, Qatar and Jordan.
CNN, meanwhile, has reported that the US is trying to attract some diplomats and their family from diplomatic missions in these countries in a short time.
Iran warns attacks on strategic infrastructure
In addition to threats reported to American officials, Tehran has warned that, in the event of a new joint attack by the US and Israel, it could hit energy and technological targets in several Gulf countries.
Moshen Resaei, secretary of Iran’s Supreme National Security Council, has stated that possible targets could include oil plants, underwater communications cables, data centres and artificial intelligence infrastructure.
According to reports by the British newspaper The Guardian), threats can reach as many as seven countries in the region, raising concerns about possible expansion of conflict beyond current borders.
Meanwhile, Mehdi Mohammad, adviser to Iranian Parliament Speaker Mohammad Ghalibauff, has claimed US President Donald Trump and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu have agreed in principle to a new attack on Iran. This claim has not been independently confirmed.
Our strategy is red-line, Mohammad has declared, warning that a new conflict can last longer and include a wider geographic space than Iran’s opponents predict.
Iranian officials have stressed that Tehran will not accept the country’s economic infrastructure being attacked, while systems, according to them, enable operations against Iran to remain intact.
We cannot accept an agreement that hits Iran’s economic arteries, while the economic architecture that enables these attacks is considered impregnable, reports by Iranian media say.
Threats include data and artificial intelligence centres, which make up an increasingly important part of strategic and economic infrastructure in the Gulf region.
Iran’s ability to perform such operations, as well as possible support from China or Russia, could influence Washington’s assessments regarding a possible relaunch of military operations.
Discussions on a new American-American attack increase
According to recent reports in American media, US military advisers have prepared detailed lists of targets for a possible joint attack with Israel.
According to these reports, the operation could take place after the US Muslim elections, scheduled for 3 November. However, no final decision to resume the attacks has been confirmed so far.
In an effort to co-ordinate diplomatic positions, the foreign ministers of several European countries — Turkey, Saudi Arabia, Pakistan and Egypt — are expected to meet in Istanbul to discuss crises in Iran, Yemen and Palestinian territories.
The meeting takes place at a time when concerns about a new military escalation are increasing.
Tensions in Hormuz Strait, oil prices rise
Concerns about a new conflict have also increased in the Strait of Hormuz, one of the most important maritime corridors for global oil transport.
Iran’s Revolutionary Guard Marine Forces claim that four commercial ships have been hitting the straits on Wednesday. According to them, ships were carrying out oil transfers from one ship to another.
Iranian authorities have also claimed that three more ships have been hit by mines in the area. These claims have not been independently verified.
Meanwhile, the price of crude Brent oil has risen to $183.4 per barrel, the highest level of recent months, according to the report of The Guardian. The increase relates to concerns about global supply and the possibility of a new American-American attack on Iran.
President Trump has withdrawn several times from plans to hit Iran again over the past four months. However, the deadlock of diplomatic negotiations has added discussions within the US administration for a new military campaign that could include missile targets, oil installations and nuclear targets.
Meanwhile, the US and Israel have continued joint military exercises, including maneuvers on Iraq. According to Axios, dozens of Israeli planes have flown near the Iranian border this week.
In this climate of tension, Tehran’s threats and measures taken by Washington increase concerns about a new conflict that could affect Middle East security, international energy markets and global digital infrastructure.
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