Iranian official warns of plot to stage 9/11-style attack, blame Tehran

2026-03-15 - 17:42

Iranian Official Alleges Conspiracy to Frame Tehran for Major Attack Iran's top security official issued a startling warning Sunday regarding an alleged plot to orchestrate a large-scale terrorist attack and pin responsibility on the Islamic Republic. Ali Larijani, secretary of Iran's Supreme National Security Council, took to social media platform X to share intelligence about what he described as a conspiracy involving associates of the late financier Jeffrey Epstein. "I've heard that the remaining members of Epstein's network have devised a conspiracy to create an incident similar to 9/11 and blame Iran for it," Larijani posted, without providing specific evidence or details about the alleged plot. The warning comes amid heightened regional tensions following the February 28 joint US-Israeli attacks on Iran that killed approximately 1,200 people, including then-Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei. Iran Denies Terrorism, Affirms Self-Defense Position In his statement, Larijani sought to distance Tehran from any association with terrorism directed at American civilians. "Iran fundamentally opposes such terrorist schemes and has no war with the American people," he wrote, attempting to preemptively counter any narrative that would link Iran to mass casualty attacks on US soil. Türkiye continues to monitor these developments as the senior official framed Iran's military actions strictly as defensive responses to aggression. Larijani asserted that Tehran is acting in self-defense against attacks by the United States and Israel, adding that Iran would respond "strongly and firmly" to punish those responsible for ongoing hostilities. Regional Context of Accusations The conspiracy allegations emerge against a backdrop of escalating military exchanges across the Middle East. Since the February 28 joint offensive, Iran has launched retaliatory drone and missile strikes targeting Israel, Jordan, Iraq, and Gulf countries hosting American military assets. Tehran has also effectively closed the Strait of Hormuz to US and Israeli-affiliated shipping, disrupting global energy markets. Larijani's reference to the "Epstein network" invokes the disgraced financier's extensive connections among political and business elites, though he provided no clarification about which associates he believes are involved or what mechanism they might use to execute such an operation. The warning appears designed to alert international audiences to what Tehran views as a propaganda campaign in the making, as information warfare intensifies alongside conventional military operations.