1. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo and Pentagon officials, including Brian Hook, the State Department’s special representative for Iran, above, have been telling members of Congress and aides in recent weeks about what they say are ties between Iran and Al Qaeda, officials said.



Some lawmakers are concerned that the administration is trying to link Iran and Al Qaeda in order to invoke a 2001 authorization that permits the U.S. to wage war on the terrorist group. Doing so would allow the administration to use military force in Iran.