US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent has moved from his home to a military base following threats against his life linked to Iran. Reuters reported this, citing a publication by The New York Times and two people familiar with the matter.
It was not specified which base Bessent is staying at, nor how serious the specific threats were. The Treasury Department has not publicly commented on the information. Iran has previously denied planning attacks against US officials and citizens on US soil.
Bessent is one of the main architects of the US campaign of economic pressure against Tehran. According to a US official quoted by Reuters, Iran’s efforts to reach US officials have intensified, and alleged plans for deadly attacks against US citizens have reached an “advanced stage.” The claim was not accompanied by publicly disclosed details of any specific plan targeting Bessent.
Three Charged over Plot Involving RAF Fairford
Alongside the information about the security measures surrounding the Treasury secretary, the US Justice Department charged three men with allegedly taking part in nearly 20 attacks and attempted attacks in the US and Europe. Among the intended targets was the British air base RAF Fairford, which is used by the US Air Force.
The defendants are Mohammad Baker Saad Daoud al-Saadi, Mohsen Mohajeri and Mohammad Ali al-Hasani. Al-Saadi, a citizen of Iran and Iraq, was detained in New York. Mohajeri is an Iranian citizen, while al-Hasani is an Iraqi citizen. The two are not in custody in the US, the Associated Press reported.
According to the indictment, al-Hasani paid people in Britain to prepare vans, fuel drums and chemical accelerants, as well as to purchase metal objects that could be used as shrapnel. Al-Saadi, who was already in custody, allegedly conveyed coded instructions through phone and video calls with his mother and sister in Iraq.
“These defendants helped organize a terrorist campaign on behalf of Iran-linked terrorist organizations, targeting Jewish communities in Europe and the United States, as well as the British military base RAF Fairford, where US service members are stationed,” Manhattan District Attorney Jamie MacDonald said.Case Led to Relocation of US Aircraft
On September 27, British authorities detained seven people following a report of three suspicious vans traveling toward RAF Fairford. Searches uncovered fuel and plastic barrels, but no explosives. All those detained were released on bail, while two were later arrested again on suspicion of assisting an Iranian intelligence service.
Iran denies involvement in the case. Following the incident, the US withdrew its bombers from RAF Fairford, and this week also moved aircraft from another British base, RAF Mildenhall. According to a US official quoted by the Associated Press, the measures were taken preventively due to a threat assessment.
Sources: investing.com, apnews.com, aljazeera.com