US backs UN assessment that new al-Qaida leader is in Iran

The United States said Wednesday its assessment aligns with a United Nations report that the new head of the al-Qaeda terror group, Saif al-Adel, is based in Iran.

“When it comes to his presence there, offering safe haven to al-Qaeda is just another example of Iran’s wide-ranging support for terrorism, its destabilizing activities in the Middle East and beyond,” State Department spokesperson Ned Price told reporters.

The U.N. based its report on member state intelligence, concluding that the former Egyptian special forces officer had taken over leadership of al-Qaeda following the July 2022 killing of former leader Ayman al-Zawahiri in an airstrike in Kabul.

Iran’s mission to the United Nations denied the U.N. and U.S. assessments in a tweet Wednesday.

“It is worth noting that the address for the so-called newly appointed Al-Qaeda leader is incorrect. This misinformation could potentially hinder efforts to combat terrorism,” it said.