The former head of Iran’s regional operations was plotting attacks on four US embassies when he was killed, President Donald Trump claimed in excerpts of an interview that will air Friday.
“QASEM SOLEIMANI HIMSELF WAS PLOTTING A BROAD”
Qasem Soleimani was killed Jan. 3 by a US drone strike in Baghdad. US officials claimed if he was not killed, hundreds of American lives would have been lost.
Asked about the mysterious large-scale attacks that his administration has so far refused to divulge details on, Trump told Fox News “I can reveal that I believe it probably would’ve been four embassies.”
Asked about the matter when addressing reporters at the White House earlier Friday, Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said the U.S. had “specific information” that included threats to US facilities including embassies and military installations.
“We don’t know exactly which day it would’ve been executed. But it was very clear: Qasem Soleimani himself was plotting a broad, large-scale attack against American interests. And those attacks were imminent,” he said.