US counterterrorism chief resigns, says Iran was not imminent threat

In a public letter released this Tuesday (17), Joe Kent resigned from his position as director of the United States National Counterterrorism Center. He justified his departure with direct criticism of the conduct of the war in Iran and, above all, contesting the main justification presented by Washington for invading the Middle Eastern country.

“After much reflection, I have decided to resign from my position,” Kent wrote. He then stated: “I cannot, in good conscience, support the ongoing war in Iran. Iran did not pose any imminent threat to our nation.” The statement is a response to President Donald Trump and the arguments he presented for conducting the military offensive, including the repeated statements that the invasion was necessary to contain immediate risks to the security of the United States.

Kent went further to suggest political motivations for the conflict. “It is clear that we started this war due to pressure from Israel and its powerful American lobby,” he said. The speech addresses the controversy surrounding the American government and its relationship with Tel Aviv. Some politicians and analysts claim that the war was started because of Israel’s political influence within Washington, but the American government has publicly rejected such assumptions.

The official version of the White House maintains that there was an “imminent threat” from Iran, including possible attacks against American forces in the region. Trump also mentioned the risk of developing long-range weapons and Iran’s history of supporting groups considered terrorist as determining factors for the offensive.

However, behind-the-scenes reports indicate that this assessment was not unanimous within the defense apparatus itself. In meetings with lawmakers, Pentagon officials reportedly stated that Iran did not plan direct attacks unless provoked. The divergence reinforces the political weight of Kent’s departure, who held a strategic position in coordinating anti-terrorism intelligence.

The American government’s justifications have also varied throughout the conflict. At different times, Trump mentioned everything from protecting Iranian protesters to the need to contain the country’s nuclear program. The president even declared that the Iranian population should “take control” of the country, which was interpreted by analysts as a sign of support for a possible regime change — although members of the government itself deny that this was the formal objective of the war.

The resignation comes amid a broader escalation of conflict in the Middle East. Air attacks, military operations and diplomatic tensions have been intensifying, with a direct impact on regional stability and the global energy market. Iran, in turn, denies that it posed an immediate threat to the United States and accuses Washington of using inconsistent justifications to legitimize the offensive.

To date, the Office of the Director of National Intelligence has not publicly commented on Kent’s statements, nor has it detailed any internal differences.