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WASHINGTON, Nov. 2 (AP) — Saudi Arabia has shared intelligence with U.S. officials that suggests Iran may be preparing for an imminent attack on the kingdom, three U.S. officials confirmed on Tuesday.
Fears of a possible attack on Saudi Arabia have intensified as the Biden administration criticized Tehran for cracking down on widespread protests and for sending hundreds of drones to Russia, along with technical support, to use in its war in Ukraine.
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“We are concerned about the threat situation, and we maintain ongoing contacts with Saudi Arabia through military and intelligence channels,” the NSC said in a statement. “We will not hesitate to act to defend our interests and partners in the region. .”
An official who confirmed the intelligence sharing described it as a credible threat of attack “soon or within 48 hours.” No U.S. embassy or consulate in the region has alerted or directed Americans in Saudi Arabia or elsewhere in the Middle East based on intelligence. The officials were not authorized to comment publicly and requested anonymity.
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Asked about reports of Saudi intelligence sharing, Pentagon press secretary Brigadier General Pat Ryder said U.S. military officials were “concerned about the threat situation in the region.”
“We are in regular contact with our Saudi partners as to what information they may have to provide in this regard,” Ryder said. “But we’ve said it before, and I’ll repeat, we’ll reserve the right to protection and self-defense wherever our troops serve, whether in Iraq or elsewhere.”
The intelligence sharing by the Saudis was first reported by The Wall Street Journal earlier on Tuesday.
The United States and Saudi Arabia accused Iran in 2019 of being behind a major attack in eastern Saudi Arabia that halved output in the oil-rich kingdom and sent energy prices soaring. The Iranians deny they were behind the attack.
The Saudis have also been repeatedly attacked in recent years by drones, missiles and mortars fired by Iran-backed Houthis in Yemen in retaliation for Saudi Arabia’s involvement in a civil war that began in 2014. Saudi Arabia has formed a coalition to fight the Houthis. In 2015, and came under international criticism for its airstrikes, which killed dozens of civilians.
In recent weeks, the Biden administration has imposed sanctions on Iranian officials for their brutal treatment of demonstrators after the death of 22-year-old Mahsa Amini in September in Iranian security custody. The government has also imposed sanctions on Iran for supplying Russia with drones to use in its war in Ukraine.
At least 270 people were killed and 14,000 arrested during the protests, according to Iranian human rights activists. Demonstrations have continued, even as the feared paramilitary Revolutionary Guard has warned young Iranians to stop.
Relations between the United States and Saudi Arabia have also been strained after the Riyadh-led coalition of oil producers, OPEC+, announced in October that it would cut output by 2 million barrels a day starting in November.
The White House said it was reviewing ties with Saudi Arabia. The government says the production cuts have effectively helped another OPEC+ member, Russia, fill its coffers as it continues its war in Ukraine, now in its ninth month.
White House National Security Council spokesman John Kirby reiterated Tuesday that the administration remains concerned that Iran could also supply Russia with surface-to-surface missiles.
“We haven’t seen that concern confirmed, but it’s our concern,” Kirby said.
Despite concerns from the United States and other countries over Iran’s malign actions, the administration has not ruled out reviving the 2015 Iran nuclear deal, brokered by the Obama administration and scrapped by the Trump administration in 2018.
The U.S. special envoy to Iran, Robert Marley, said on Monday that the administration is not currently focused on the deal, which has stalled since August.
Still, Marley declined to declare the deal was terminated, saying the government “does not apologize” for “doing everything it can to prevent Iran from acquiring nuclear weapons.”
The agreement, known as the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA), will provide Tehran with billions of dollars in sanctions relief in exchange for the country agreeing to scale back its nuclear program to limits set by the 2015 agreement. It includes caps on enrichment and how much material Iran can store, and limits the operation of advanced centrifuges needed for enrichment. (Associated Press)
(This is an unedited and auto-generated story from the Syndicated News feed, the body of the content may not have been modified or edited by LatestLY staff)
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