According to Politico, Iran has been considering an assassination of the US ambassador to South Africa as retaliation for the American assassination of Iranian general Qasem Soleimani via missile in January.

The US Intelligence Committee issued a “Duty to Warn” directive, used to notify officials when a credible threat against an lives is uncovered, in this case for Lana Marks, the 66-year-old ambassador to South Africa.

Marks has held the position since October, when she was appointed by President Trump.  She has known Trump for two decades and is a member of Trump Mar-a-Lago club in Florida.  The South African-born Marks was a fashion bag designer before taking up international diplomacy.

The intelligence community has picked up rumblings of an attack against Marks for months.  Recently, however, the signs have become stronger, louder and more specific, prompting them to issue the advisory.

Iran has long-established connection in South Africa.  Iran has sponsored and trained renegade operation in South Africa.

The Trump Administration ordered the assassination of Soleimani in January as he was on an official visit to Iraq.  The assassination resulted in a volley of Iranian missiles hitting a US-operated air base in western Iraq, leading to speculation of US air raids in Iran.  The resulting tension led to the accidental shoot-down of a Ukrainian commercial jet departing the Tehran airport by an Iranian SAM battery, killing 176 people.

Trump has previously expressed skepticism of reports from the US Intelligence Community, undercutting reports about Russian interference in the 2016 presidential election.