(TheRedWire.com) – Iran has firmly denied any involvement in the recent assassination attempt on former President Donald Trump, as well as any plans to take on such actions. Nasser Kanaani, the spokesperson for Iran’s Foreign Ministry, articulated in a statement that Iran “strongly rejects any involvement in the recent armed attack on Trump or claims about Iran’s intention for such an action,” labeling these allegations as politically motivated with malicious intentions, as reported by The Washington Post on Thursday.
The Biden administration had previously informed the Secret Service about a potential threat from Iran directed at Trump prior to his rally on July 13 in Butler, Pennsylvania. During the rally, an assailant fired shots at Trump, resulting in a minor ear injury to the former president and casualties among the attendees. The attacker, identified as 20-year-old Thomas Matthew Crooks from Bethel Park, Pennsylvania, was fatally shot by Secret Service agents.
Despite the incident, U.S. officials do not believe the attack was connected to any Iranian activities. The backdrop includes ongoing tensions since the 2020 drone strike ordered by Trump that killed Iranian commander Qasem Soleimani, an act Trump defended as a preventive measure against war.
Iran has reiterated its intent to seek legal, not violent, avenues for addressing grievances against Trump, whom it deems responsible for Soleimani’s death. The Iranian U.N. mission conveyed to the Islamic Republic News Agency its plan to pursue justice through legal channels, describing Trump as liable for criminal prosecution.
Earlier reports, such as one from the Tehran Times in January, indicated Iran’s intention to approach the International Court of Justice over Soleimani’s killing.
On the U.S. side, Adrienne Watson, a spokesperson for the National Security Council, emphasized the seriousness with which the U.S. regards Iranian threats against former officials of the Trump administration, considering it a critical national and homeland security issue.
Following these developments, the Secret Service has reportedly heightened security measures for Trump, as per a national security official’s anonymous comments on the agency’s response to the Iranian threat alert.
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