Contains specific details such as location… Iran fails to block terrorism
The Wall Street Journal (WSJ) reported on the 25th (local time) that the United States secretly warned Iran earlier this month that the Sunni extremist armed group Islamic State (IS) was preparing to carry out a terrorist attack.
Citing U.S. officials, WSJ reported that this confidential communication was made after the U.S. received intelligence that the Islamic State Khorasan (IS-K), the Afghan branch of IS, was plotting to attack Iran.
U.S. officials said they judged that the secrets passed to Iran contained specific details, such as the location, to the extent that they could be useful in preventing the terrorist attack that occurred on January 3, or at least reducing the number of casualties.
However, Iran was unable to prevent the bombing that occurred near the memorial site for former Revolutionary Guards Quds Force commander Qasem Soleimani in the southeastern town of Kerman. More than 80 Iranians were killed in this terrorist attack. It is said that Iran did not respond to the United States’ provision of information.
Soleimani was killed in a U.S. airstrike near Baghdad Airport in Iraq during the former Donald Trump administration in January 2020.
A U.S. official said, “Before the IS terrorist attack that occurred in Kerman, Iran, on January 3, 2024, the U.S. government provided them with behind-the-scenes information about the existence of a terrorist threat in Iran,” adding, “The U.S. government followed the warning warning that had been in effect for a long time.” “We followed the ‘duty’ policy and provided confidentiality because we did not want to see innocent people lose their lives due to terrorism.”
Officials at Iran’s mission to the United Nations did not respond to a request for comment.
The WSJ reported that despite the confidential information from the United States, hardliners in Iran claim that the United States and Israel are linked behind the IS terror attack.
After the terrorist attacks, Iran responded strongly, launching missiles to retaliate against IS forces in neighboring countries such as Syria and Pakistan.
Source: Donga
Mark Jones is a world traveler and journalist for News Rebeat. With a curious mind and a love of adventure, Mark brings a unique perspective to the latest global events and provides in-depth and thought-provoking coverage of the world at large.