Lana Marks assassination reports ‘just rumours’ – international relations expert
Wits Professor John Stremlau says reports that Iran is planning to assassinate United States ambassador to South Africa Lana Marks are merely rumours.
This comes after Politico reported that US intelligence agencies have been aware of the alleged plot and that the details of the plot have become more specific in recent weeks.
Marks, who has a close relationship with President Donald Trump and is a member of his exclusive Mar-a-Lago club, was sworn in as an ambassador in October last year.
"When top Iranian General Qassem Soleimani was killed by US forces it is conceivable that the Iranians developed an option paper for possible reprisals,” says Stremlau, who is an expert on international relations.
“It conceivable that ambassador Marks in South Africa would have appeared in that list at some point. What we don't know is how serious this reported intelligence report on Iran is."
Stremlau adds that he doesn’t believe Iran would want to strain its relationship with South Africa.
Listen here: