Iran sent “written assurances” to the Biden administration last month that it wouldn’t try to kill then-presidential candidate Donald Trump, the Wall Street Journal reported on Friday.

According to Biden administration officials, the “secret exchange” between Iran and US was meant to cool tensions between Tehran and Washington. Of course, the more likely explanation is the “Trump Effect” – Iran, which has repeatedly attempted to assassinate Trump and some of his officials from his first administration, began fearing the consequences it would face if Trump won the presidential election.

Iran’s message was delivered on October 14 but was not previously reported, the report said. It was sent in response to a private US warning in September that it considers Iran’s attempts to assassinate Trump a “top-tier” national security issue and any attempt on his life would be treated as an act of war.

Last week, the US Justice Department announced charges against Iranian agents who were plotting to assassinate Trump before he was possibly re-elected as president, the most recent attempt in a series of Iranian assassination plots against Trump and his first administration officials.

(YWN’s Jerusalem desk is keeping you updated after tzeis ha’Shabbos in Israel)