Times of Israel, on Iran, 25 October 2026

3.0out of 10Minor

2 Iranian officials ...

Tap a highlight to see why it matters.1 finding

Two senior Iranian officials .

The report comes days after US national intelligence chief Jay Clayton warned in a memo sent to Secretary of State Marco Rubio that Iran has “substantially increased” its efforts to target Americans in the Middle East and beyond.

The unnamed Iranian officials, one of them a member of the Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps (IRGC) tell the Times that the targeting of American officials was considered to be “fair game,” given the number of Iranian officials killed by the US and Israel.

Additionally, a US official tells the newspaper there is evidence that Tehran has operatives in the US who are “not just simply Iranian nationals.”

Clayton’s memo emerged shortly after the State Department announced it is reducing staff at the US embassies in Jordan, Lebanon, Qatar and the United Arab Emirates.

Earlier in the week, Washington ordered non-essential US embassy staff and their families to leave Saudi Arabia, following increasing attacks by the Iran-backed Houthis.

Is our live election coverage important to you?

Are you relying on The Times of Israel for accurate and timely coverage of the 2026 Israeli election? If so, please join The Times of Israel Community. For as little as $6/month, you will:

- Support our independent journalists who are working around the clock to report political developments as they unfold;

- Read ToI with a clear, ads-free experience on our site, apps and podcasts; and

- Gain access to exclusive content shared only with the ToI Community, including our DocuNation series and weekly letters from founding editor David Horovitz.

Join The Times of Israel Community

JOIN NOW

Already a member? Sign in to stop seeing this

You're a dedicated reader

We’re really pleased that you’ve read X Times of Israel articles in the past month.

That’s why we started the Times of Israel - to provide discerning readers like you with must-read coverage of Israel and the Jewish world.

So now we have a request. Unlike other news outlets, we haven’t put up a paywall. But as the journalism we do is costly, we invite readers for whom The Times of Israel has become important to help support our work by joining The Times of Israel Community.

For as little as $6 a month you can help support our quality journalism while enjoying The Times of Israel AD-FREE, as well as accessing exclusive content available only to Times of Israel Community members.

Thank you,

David Horovitz, Founding Editor of The Times of Israel

Join Our Community

Join Our Community

Already a member? Sign in to stop seeing this

Read the original article on timesofisrael.com (opens in a new tab)
What we found (1)

The Times of Israel writes that two Iranian officials 'confirm' Tehran 'is preparing to target' US diplomats. It never mentions the condition Haaretz reported from the same New York Times story: that US personnel are potential targets if the war escalates. A reader of this article cannot weigh that condition.

  1. Leaves out what changes the picture

    Minor

    “confirm Tehran preparing to target US diplomats”

    Why this matters
    The headline uses 'confirm' and 'preparing to target' with no condition attached, as if Iranian officials had verified a plot already in motion.
    The impression it gives
    Iranian officials have admitted that Tehran is actively readying attacks on US diplomats now.
    The context
    Haaretz, reporting the same New York Times story, says the officials described US diplomats and personnel as potential targets if the war escalates. That is a conditional threat, not a confirmed operation. The headline also gives no sign that the claim comes second hand through the Times.

    How we know

    Show it in the article

    “confirm to The New York Times that Tehran is preparing to target US diplomats and personnel”

    Why this matters
    The body repeats the unconditional version. 'Confirm' ties the officials' words to the Clayton memo in S2, as though they had corroborated US intelligence.
    The impression it gives
    The US intelligence warning has been independently confirmed by Iran's own officials, and attacks are being prepared regardless of what happens next.
    The context
    Other coverage of the same report gives the officials' statement as a warning about what Iran might do if the war escalates. The article never mentions that condition, so the reader cannot weigh it.

    How we know

    Show it in the article

How other outlets reported it

Spot something we missed? Report this article

More from Times of Israel

  1. 25 OctNetanyahu on reported clash with IDF chief over Iran military action3.0
  2. 25 OctIran says messages are still being passed to the US amid war ...0.0
  3. 25 OctNetanyahu publishes AI image of nuclear strike on Tel Aviv, warning of 'second Holocaust' by Iran0.0
  4. 25 OctIranian FM: Another attack by the US won't change our policies3.0
  5. 25 OctTrump says US won't strike Iran today, amid rising tensions0.0

Everything we scored from Times of Israel