U.S. Embassy warns of possible Iran-linked attacks against MEK and public locations.
Tirana Times, April 01, 2026 – The U.S. Embassy in Tirana has warned that Iran or groups linked to Tehran could carry out potential attacks in Albania, targeting members of the Iranian opposition group People’s Mojahedin Organization of Iran based in Manëz, as well as public locations frequented by U.S. citizens, including tourist sites, shopping centers, hotels and restaurants. The embassy urged heightened vigilance.
The warning comes at a moment of sharply escalating tensions between Albania and Iran, just days after Albania’s parliament approved a resolution declaring Iran a state sponsor of terrorism. The move reflects a broad political consensus in Tirana that Iran has become a direct security threat rather than a distant geopolitical concern.
The current escalation is rooted in a longer trajectory of deteriorating relations. Albania and Iran established diplomatic ties in 1992, but tensions rose significantly after Albania agreed to host around 3,000 members of the MEK, a decision backed by the United States and framed as humanitarian, but seen by Tehran as openly hostile.
The relationship entered a new phase after the 2022 cyberattack on Albanian government systems, which authorities attributed to Iranian state actors. In response, Albania severed diplomatic relations, expelled Iranian diplomats and shut down Iran’s embassy in Tirana. Albania remains the only NATO member to have taken such a step in response to a state-linked cyberattack.
Since then, tensions have persisted through repeated cyber incidents, including attacks on the Tirana municipality and more recently on Albania’s parliament. These developments have reinforced the perception that Albania remains exposed to Iranian-linked hybrid operations.
At the same time, Tirana has moved toward a clearer geopolitical alignment. Prime Minister Edi Rama has openly backed U.S. and Israeli actions against Iran, called for the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps to be designated as a terrorist organization, and expressed strong solidarity with Saudi Arabia, Qatar and other Gulf states following Iranian missile strikes.
Against this backdrop, Albania’s government has downplayed the immediacy of the threat flagged by the U.S. Embassy. In a statement to Report TV, the Agency for Media and Information said the warning was speculative and not based on concrete intelligence:
“The U.S. Embassy regularly issues such alerts, even when opposition groups take to the streets, burn garbage bins or throw Molotov cocktails to make headlines in foreign media. However, the law enforcement agencies of the Republic of Albania have no concerning information related to this assumption by the U.S. Embassy. Therefore, we invite American citizens not to miss any of the wonderful opportunities Albania offers, with its numerous tourist destinations, its unmatched hospitality and its excellent cuisine,” the agency said.
Security experts note that while a direct military strike against Albania remains unlikely, the risk of indirect retaliation has increased. Cyberattacks, sabotage or attacks against soft targets are seen as more plausible, particularly in the context of the ongoing Middle East conflict and Albania’s visible political positioning.
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