**Trump Delivers Fiery Warning to Iran Amid Assassination Threats**

Former President Donald Trump delivered an unambiguous threat to Iran during a rally in North Carolina on Wednesday, responding to recent claims that Iranian officials are plotting to assassinate him. Speaking to a gathered crowd in Mint Hill, Trump declared that any harm directed towards him would result in severe repercussions for Iran.

"If I were the president, I would inform the threatening country, in this case, Iran, that if you do anything to harm this person, we are going to blow your largest cities and the country itself to smithereens. We're going to blow it to smithereens," Trump stated, met with cheers. "There would be no more threats." He attributed the escalating tensions to the current administration, criticizing President Biden's handling of national security.

The former president's remarks come after a briefing by the Office of the Director of National Intelligence (DNI) with Trump and his campaign. Although details of the meeting were not disclosed, Trump's camp highlighted "real and specific threats from Iran to assassinate him" as part of an effort to destabilize the United States.

The FBI is currently investigating two assassination attempts on Trump's life. In July, there was a shooting incident at a rally in Butler, Pennsylvania, where one person was killed. More recently, an apparent assassination attempt occurred at Trump International Golf Club in Florida. Prior to the Butler rally, the Secret Service had enhanced Trump's security due to intelligence about the Iranian threat, including counter snipers assigned to the event.

Trump, in his rally speech, alluded to these incidents suggesting possible foreign connections without providing concrete evidence. "There have been two assassination attempts on my life that we know of, and they may or may not involve... Iran. But I don't really know," he remarked.

Tensions between Trump and Iran have been strained since the January 2020 airstrike that killed Iranian Gen. Qassem Soleimani, a move that Iranian officials have vowed to avenge. Iranian Foreign Minister Hossein Amir-Abdollahian reiterated his country's disdain for Trump and the U.S. government in a recent interview, stating that the strike was a significant mistake by Trump and calling for justice for all involved in the incident.