Person

Jay Clayton

1. Follow-up: Trump says US could strike Iran as soon as Sunday or reach a major deal; Iranian president says US wrecked interim-agreement talks

   US Director of National Intelligence Jay Clayton's Friday, Oct 23, memo said Iranian plots against US personnel had reached a 'late stage', and US embassies across the Middle East raised their alert level. Trump said on Saturday, Oct 24, that the US was considering an attack on Iran as soon as Sunday, that it might have to 'finish the job', or that a major deal with Tehran might be reached. Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian blamed the US for collapsing interim-agreement talks, calling the US side 'cowards' who had 'messed everything up', while still arguing Tehran should push for a deal. An Iranian official told AP on Oct 24 that Tehran remained willing to negotiate with the US under the earlier framework. The same day a Saudi-led coalition said it had destroyed two ballistic missiles fired by Houthis towards Taif and Yanbu. The US this week ordered non-essential government employees to leave Saudi Arabia. The war is in its eighth month.

   Oct 25, 2026 Afternoon
2. US intelligence chief Jay Clayton warns Iranian plots against Americans are at a 'late stage'; US cuts staff at 4 Middle East embassies

   US Director of National Intelligence Jay Clayton said in an unclassified memo to Secretary of State Marco Rubio, copied to CIA Director Ratcliffe, that Iran had increased efforts to target US personnel and that attack plots in the Middle East and some other countries had reached a 'late stage'. Argentina's Clarín reported that the US then reduced staff at four embassies in the Middle East. US ambassador to the UN Mike Waltz told the Financial Times the war with Iran could last another year.

   Oct 24, 2026 Afternoon