US ambassador to South Africa warned of possible Iranian assassination plot: Report

A U.S. diplomat had been informed that Iran is considering a plot to assassinate her, which officials believe could be one way Tehran is considering retaliation for the killing of top military commander Qassem Soleimani.

The U.S. intelligence community has known about a general threat against the life of U.S. Ambassador to South Africa Lana Marks since the spring, sources told Politico, but in recent weeks the threat has become more specific and is said to involve the Iranian embassy in South Africa.

Marks was notified of the threat under a directive known as Duty to Warn, which requires U.S. agencies to notify a potential target if intelligence indicates they could be in danger.

Soleimani, 62, was killed in a U.S. airstrike near Baghdad International Airport along with Abu Mahdi al Muhandis, head of the Iranian-backed Popular Mobilization Forces in January.

Iranian officials vowed revenge in response to the death of Soleimani, who was known to have coordinated Iranian proxy terrorist groups in the Middle East. Tehran fired a barrage of missiles at Iraqi bases housing U.S. troops. On the same night it fired the volley of missiles, Iran also shot down a Ukrainian passenger airliner, killing all 176 onboard and sparking renewed domestic protests, which Tehran claims was an accident.

Marks, who has known President Trump for decades, has been in her role since last October.