WWE is moving forward with its plans to hold Crown Jewel in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, while the U.S. government has received new intelligence about possible Iranian attacks on American citizens.
According to a report from The New York Times, Iran is in advanced stages of planning the attacks.
Jay Clayton, the director of national intelligence, delivered the warning on Friday in a memo to Marco Rubio, the secretary of state. The document said Iran has substantially increased its efforts to target American officials in the Middle East and other countries.
“The lethal plotting efforts by the Iranians against U.S. citizens have reached advanced stages in both the Middle East and certain other countries.”
The Times reported that U.S. intelligence agencies believe the threat to American citizens has reached its highest level since the war with Iran began in February. The report said the intelligence also mentions possible targets in Europe. But a U.S. official said Iran’s ability to carry out the attacks is limited.
The U.S. government has begun drawing down staff at its diplomatic posts in the region. The move includes the departure of nonessential personnel from Saudi Arabia and staff cuts at the embassies in Qatar, Lebanon, Jordan and the United Arab Emirates.
Axios, which obtained the memo, reported that the document doesn’t identify specific targets or give details on when the attacks could take place.
The State Department’s updated travel advisory, released on Friday, also reflects the new intelligence. The department kept Saudi Arabia at Level 3, which advises Americans to reconsider travel to the country, and added details about the increased threat from Iran. The advisory lists large gatherings and entertainment venues among possible targets.
As previously reported, Ari Emanuel told Fox News that Crown Jewel was still on schedule and that the company was monitoring the security situation every day. TKO is also working on contingency plans in case it needs to move the show.
Preparations are still underway in Riyadh. WWE continued to promote Crown Jewel on Friday’s SmackDown despite the warnings from U.S. officials.