Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei attends a graduation ceremony for armed forces officers at the Imam Ali academy in Tehran, Iran October 10, 2023.
"There was a direct message relayed," White House spokesman John Kirby said at a news briefing, declining to elaborate.
U.S. troops have been attacked at least 12 times in Iraq and four times in Syria in the past week, it added.
On Wednesday, Biden said he had warned the ayatollah the United States would respond if U.S. forces continued to be targeted but did not say how the message was communicated.
"My warning to the ayatollah was that if they continue to move against those troops, we will respond, and he should be prepared.
Persons:
Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, Ali, Joe Biden, John Kirby, Biden, Israel, Hossein Amirabdollahian, Steve Holland, Susan Heavey, Arshad Mohammed, Doina Chiacu, Jonathan Oatis
Organizations:
Iran's, Iranian, West Asia News Agency, REUTERS, Rights, U.S, Hamas, Pentagon, Wednesday, United Nations, Palestinian, Thomson
Locations:
Tehran, Iran, Israel, U.S, Iraq, Syria, United States, Gaza, Iran's, Palestine, Lebanon, Hamas, Yemen