In a recent development, it has been confirmed by U.S. officials that the Biden administration issued a private warning to Iran prior to the Jan. 3 terror attacks carried out by ISIS. The attacks claimed the lives of more than 80 people in the city of Kerman. The warning, which was based on actionable intelligence, was delivered a week before the dual suicide bombings that occurred during a ceremony commemorating the death of Qassem Soleimani, the former head of Iran's elite Quds Force.

According to a U.S. official who spoke to CBS News, the U.S. government followed a longstanding "duty to warn" policy and provided Iran with a private warning about a terrorist threat within its borders. The primary objective of this warning was to prevent the loss of innocent lives in terrorist attacks.

The exact details of the warning, including its nature and specific timing, have not been disclosed. U.S. officials have also refrained from commenting on the response, if any, received from Tehran. It remains unclear whether Iranian officials took any preventive measures following the warning.

President Biden has recently acknowledged the delivery of private messages to Iran concerning attacks conducted by Houthi militias based in Yemen. However, there was no mention of any communication regarding the recent ISIS-Khorasan (ISIS-K) terror attack in Iran. Due to the absence of direct diplomatic contact between the U.S. and Iran, such messages are typically transmitted through intermediary countries.

ISIS, a radical Sunni group known for its animosity towards Shiite Muslims, later claimed responsibility for the bombing in Kerman, describing it as a "dual martyrdom operation." Notably, Iran's population comprises over 90% Shia Muslims.

The Biden administration has consistently emphasized the Iranian government's role as a key destabilizing force in the region. This view has been reinforced in the aftermath of the Oct. 7 attack on Israel by Hamas extremists, with administration officials highlighting Iran's provision of funding and weapons to Hamas. The U.S. considers Iran to be the world's largest state sponsor of terrorism.

State Department deputy spokesperson Vedant Patel maintained that there should be no interpretation of any policy change based on the revelation of the warning. Patel declined to confirm its issuance but reiterated the "adversarial" relationship between the U.S. and Iran.

The National Counterterrorism Center (NCTC) Director, Christine Abizaid, testified before the Senate last October, acknowledging an "increased external threat" posed by ISIS-K, an ISIS branch concentrated primarily in Afghanistan. The group was responsible for the devastating attack in Kabul in August 2021, which claimed over 180 lives, including 13 American soldiers. U.S. officials have emphasized that ISIS-K remains a viable terrorist threat.

Issuing warnings to foreign governments, even adversarial ones, is a routine practice for the U.S. when there is detailed intelligence related to potential deadly events or acts, such as kidnappings. Current and former officials have noted that this is not the first time the U.S. has provided such a warning to Iran.

While Iranian officials have not responded immediately to requests for comments, this development marks a significant event in the ongoing tensions between the U.S. and Iran, highlighting the importance of intelligence-sharing and preventive measures to safeguard innocent lives from the menace of terrorism.