The US had secretly warned Iran before the ISIS terror attack in January

(CNN) — The group carried out a deadly attack near the burial site of slain military commander Qassem Soleimani on January 3, before the United States secretly warned Iran that ISIS was planning a possible terrorist attack inside Iranian territory, according to an American official.

The private warning was based on intelligence the United States received about ISIS plans and was provided to Iran under the US government’s “duty to warn” policy, the official said. That policy also applies to American adversaries.

The warning, first reported by the Wall Street Journal, is significant not only because Iran is neither a partner nor ally of the United States, but also because officials say Iran is behind a recent surge in attacks by its militias. Middle East. It is not clear through what channels the United States communicated the message to Iran, although the countries do not have formal diplomatic relations.

“Prior to the January 3, 2024 ISIS terrorist attack in Kerman, Iran, the United States government privately warned Iran that there was a terrorist threat within Iranian borders,” the official said. “The United States government has followed a long-standing ‘duty to warn’ policy that has been implemented across administrations to alert governments to potentially lethal threats. We issue these warnings in part because we don’t want innocent lives to be lost in terrorist attacks.”

Ultimately, the Iranian government was unable to stop the ISIS attack, the deadliest on Iran since its 1979 revolution. At least 84 people were killed and 284 injured in explosions on January 3, which occurred near the site. Southern Iran. A day later, ISIS claimed responsibility for the attack.

CNN has reached out to the Iranian mission to the UN for comment.

According to the Office of the Director of National Intelligence, any entity in the intelligence community that “gathers or receives reliable and specific information indicating an imminent threat of intentional killing, serious bodily injury, or kidnapping directed at an individual or group of individuals ( . . .) is alleged to There shall be a duty to warn the victim or persons responsible for his protection, as appropriate.” The policy states that intended victims include both US persons and non-US persons.