US authorities have intensified security measures around former President Donald Trump after receiving intelligence reports of an Iranian plot to assassinate him, a CNN report said, although no links have been established between the plot and a recent shooting at a Trump rally.
Iran has repeatedly threatened to avenge the death of Qassem Soleimani, the commander of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC), who was killed in January 2020 on orders from then-President Trump.
CNN reported on Tuesday that recent intelligence from a human source reveals Iran was planning to assassinate Trump, leading to enhanced security measures by the Secret Service.
Despite these precautions, a shooting incident occurred at the Trump rally in Butler, Pennsylvania, where a 20-year-old man, Thomas Matthew Crooks, accessed a nearby rooftop and fired shots, injuring the former president. Authorities have told CNN that there is no known connection between Crooks and the Iranian plot.
Iran’s permanent mission to the UN immediately denied CNN's report, saying, “These accusations are unsubstantiated and malicious."
A US national security official confirmed that the Secret Service and the Trump campaign were informed of the Iranian threat prior to the rally. "Secret Service learned of the increased threat from this threat stream," the official told CNN. "The National Security Council directly contacted USSS at a senior level to be absolutely sure they continued to track the latest reporting."
Later on Tuesday, unnamed US officials told Politico that "there may be more attempts on Trump’s life in the coming weeks."
"The US intelligence community has received an increasing amount of evidence to suggest that Iran is actively working on plots to kill former President Donald Trump, potentially in the lead up to the election in November," the Politico report said.
Trump’s secretary of state Mike Pompeo was also among the targets of the Iranian assassination plot, CNN reported citing a federal law enforcement source and a source close to Pompeo.
"Tehran's terror threat against Trump is like a pilot-light: always on in the background and can be scaled up in intensity at a time of their own choosing," Behnam Ben Taleblu, a Senior Fellow at Foundation for Defense of Democracies (FDD), told Iran International.
“Domestic divisions or not, Iranian officials continue to believe that blood will only wash away blood. That's why they have not shied away from officially stating that the policy of the regime remains the killing of Trump-era national security officials whom they believe were involved in the killing of Qassem Soleimani in Iraq in January 2020," he said.
In August 2022, the US Justice Department charged an IRGC member for allegedly planning to assassinate John Bolton, the Trump administration’s national security adviser, in retaliation for Soleimani’s assassination. Bolton has been enjoying Secret Service detail since then.
Robert O’Brien, another national security adviser in the Trump administration, previously had a US government security detail due to threats from Iran, similar to Pompeo and other former Trump officials. However, that protection was withdrawn last summer, sources revealed to CNN. O’Brien is now funding his own private security, according to sources.
Iran's assassination threat against the two former national security advisers has been countered by a $12m-a-year Secret Service operation, official papers showed in February.
“Make no mistake, lapses in security can and will permit Iran-backed plots to succeed," Ben Taleblu told Iran International. "While fortunately many have been discovered or thwarted over the years, the rise in Iran-backed terror and kidnapping attempts usings proxies and trans-national criminal syndicates means that Tehran believes quantity has a quality of its own and is waiting for a mistake.”
US law enforcement also protects Iranian dissidents and journalists in America due to credible threats from Iran.
In the latest occurrence within a series of his participation in Muharram mourning rituals, Pezeshkian was photographed on Tuesday alongside Esmail Qaani, the commander of the IRGC Quds Force. This event took place at a highly revered site for Shia Muslims dedicated to their Twelfth Imam.
During the lunar month of Muharram, Shia Muslims observe mourning rituals to commemorate the death of Husayn (Hussain) ibn Ali, the grandson of Prophet Muhammad and the third Shia Imam.
Critics argue that amidst the nation's multifaceted challenges, Pezeshkian has not yet crafted a comprehensive agenda for his presidency or compiled a roster of prospective cabinet members, viewing his participation in these sessions as indicative of irresponsibility.
Akbar Ganji, a political commentator and former member of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) residing abroad, voiced his criticism on X, stating: "Hopefully, in a few days, the mourning ceremonies will end. Otherwise, I worry that Pezeshkian might forget the presidency and go from one religious gathering to another, reciting elegies and performing eulogies."
Meanwhile, Pezeshkian has yet to hold a press conference, as his scheduled news event on the day of his election was abruptly cancelled. Media in Tehran reported at the time that the cancellation was due to a meeting with Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei.
Critics argue that while Pezeshkian has found ample time to attend religious ceremonies, he has yet to allocate time for a press conference, even after more than a week since his election.
Meanwhile different social groups voice their demands publicly, hoping to receive attention from the new chief executive. The care-taker government just announced that it will stop offering cheap US dollars for imports of more than 450 items, only focusing on essential food and medicines. This immediately raised the price of iPhones by about $250.
Reza Shafakhah, Chair of the Committee on the Rights of the Children of the National Union of Lawyers Associations, urged Pezeshkian to prioritize educating underserved children.
“Mr. Pezeshkian, once you have concluded your participation in mourning sessions, kindly direct your Ministry of Interior to identify children deprived of education per the Law on the Protection of Children and Adolescents. Moreover, please ensure collaboration with the Ministry of Education to facilitate their access to schooling, particularly as the school enrollment season approaches,” Shafakhah wrote.
The criticisms extended to ordinary citizens on social media as well. One user remarked, "Experts such as Zarif have told Pezeshkian, 'Since you have no capability to select ministers, spend these few days attending religious gatherings and mourning. We will assemble the cabinet for you...'"
The user alluded to Pezeshkian appointing former Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif as the head of the Strategic Council for Transition, responsible for shortlisting candidates for ministerial and vice-presidential positions in the Pezeshkian administration. Thus far, Pezeshkian has not demonstrated any active involvement in the cabinet formation process.
Meanwhile, others defended Pezeshkian, stating that since he has not taken office as president, criticisms about his attendance at religious gatherings are unfounded. They also argue that attending these religious gatherings, predominantly held at night, does not imply a lack of responsibility or preclude his meaningful political work during the day.
"Dr. Pezeshkian has not officially assumed the presidency, so technically, he is not the president yet. Is it wrong for him to attend religious gatherings? Would it be acceptable if he went to a nightclub instead? Does a president or president-elect not have the right to eat, go to a mosque, or watch a football game?" a user wrote on X.
Some defend his actions by asserting his intrinsic religiosity and adherence to tradition, suggesting there is little beyond his religious convictions driving his behavior.
However, other defenders delve deeper, suggesting that Pezeshkian employs this strategy to reconcile the divide between hardliners and non-hardliners. Pezeshkian, elected as a reform-leaning candidate, secured victory in a runoff election against hardline opponents, indicating a narrower margin of support. Some contend that he aims to appeal to a broader population segment through these actions.
In these religious ceremonies, he is quoted as saying: "All individuals are human beings, not merely those who support us; even those who do not help us are part of humanity. We contend with ideological and factional differences; adherence to truth transcends such disputes."
A user wrote on X, “For now, let Pezeshkian be. He is tending to the deep wound inflicted upon his staunch supporters by his victory.”
Thus far, Pezeshkian has exemplified his pre-election pledge of unwavering obedience to the Supreme Leader's directives. Ali Khamenei places significant emphasis on these mourning rituals, particularly the Heyat, which refers to collective mourning groups or gatherings.
A Heyat constitutes a grassroots social movement within each neighborhood. Comprised of friends, relatives, neighbors, and individuals of all ages, these groups establish their facilities, known as Tekyehs, for conducting processions and ceremonies throughout Muharram.
Khamenei also emphasizes the significance of "Maddahan" (singular "Madah"), religious singers or eulogists, who traditionally appeared prominently in mosques and during religious observances such as mourning ceremonies. In recent years, however, eulogists have gained increasing influence, expanding their role into the political sphere and frequently offering commentary on diverse topics, including enforcing hijab and societal norms.
Khamenei went as far as to define what these Maddahan do as a soft power for the Islamic Republic.
“The art of eulogizing and the entity known as the "Heyat" represents a crucial element of the soft power within Islamic society. Soft power wields greater influence and efficacy than hard power,” the Supreme Leader said in January.
“Why do the world's powerful nations, such as the United States, possessing nuclear arsenals and a plethora of advanced weaponry, nevertheless channel their most significant investments into arts, cinema, Hollywood, advertising, and similar domains?
“The rationale is that cinema embodies soft power; storytelling and filmmaking constitute soft power. These cultural mediums engender lasting influence.
“Conversely, hard power yields immediate but transient effects. Hard power entails, for instance, the United States occupying Afghanistan for two decades, expending billions, only to eventually retreat under the duress of widespread animosity.
“In contrast, soft power is epitomized by a seemingly minority group possessing profound spiritual influence, capable of captivating global attention,” he added.
According to reformist daily Shargh, the council is tasked with shortlisting the candidates for ministerial and vice-presidential posts in the Pezeshkian administration. Iranian presidents usually have a “first vice-president” and several others in charge of critical government tasks.
Earlier, rumors said that Zarif was going to be the senior vice president in the new government, however, Zarif said last week that no one has been yet nominated for the post. Some of the reports during the past week mentioned Executives of Construction Party leader Hossein Marashi as a nominee for the post. However, Marashi's involvement in a variety of businesses may prevent him from joining the government.
Another potential nominee for the post is former vice-president Mohammad Reza Aref, who has faced heavy criticism from the press and politicians for his "inaction, indecision, and inefficiency" as the leader of the reformist faction in the Iranian parliament from 2016 to 2020.
Zarif has denied reports Pezeshkian is under pressure by other politicians including former President Mohammad Khatami to appoint certain individuals to posts in the new government.
Other reports quoted Mohammad Hashemi, a former state TV chief and a brother of former President Akbar Hashemi Rafsanjani as saying that five committees or work groups have been set up to work on the forming of the new cabinet based on merits.
With the committees in place, the President-elect does not need recommendations by anyone to appoint his ministers, Hashemi said, adding that Pezeshkian has asked every committee to nominate three individuals for every ministry. He will eventually take his pick from among those nominated.
Meanwhile, in letters to civil institutions and political parties, Pezeshkian asked them last week to recommend individuals for ministerial posts in the government. The letters have even been sent to conservative political parties, reports say. Some of the criteria for the nominations are lowering the average age of the cabinet, national rather than factional tendencies, as well as honesty.
So far, former Minister of Economy Ali Tayebnia appears to be the most likely choice for the post. He is widely regarded in the reform and moderate camps, and even some conservatives, as having the expertise to rescue Iran from its economic crisis. The economist from Isfahan was instrumental in nearly convincing the entire government during the Rouhani administration that joining the FATF conventions could benefit Iran's economy. However, his efforts were ultimately obstructed by conservatives in the Expediency Council and the Supreme Council of National Security.
FATF is an international organization formed by G7 member countries to protect the international financial system and its recommendations shape banking policies of most countries and businesses who want to protect their own integrity and reputations. Thus, Iran’s international banking is severely impacted by its status in the FATF blacklist.
Lists have been going around on social media of possible cabinet ministers, but none are reliable. Some users are however aware that some of those lists are meant to groom individuals and introduce them to the new president.
The challenge with Pezeshkian's call for young, liberal ministers for his cabinet is that many of the reform-minded and moderate young men and women from middle-class families have left the country. The instability of previous governments has likely left them with little hope of returning to work in Iran. This situation is partly due to the lack of respect for expertise and academic credentials in administrations filled with officials holding fake diplomas.
Forming a cabinet with the goal of addressing numerous longstanding issues is a daunting task, particularly in the absence of young, educated experts and given the poor track record of older politicians across the Iranian political landscape. Cabinets are not easy to change or reshuffle frequently, making this challenge even more complex.
During his campaign, Pezeshkian once asked, "We bring foreign coaches for our football teams. Why shouldn't we be able to seek help from foreign advisers?" His question, which sounded naïve, was met with nothing but frowning faces.
