‘Expect A Strike Within 48 Hours’: Serbian President Links Possible Iran Attack To Epstein Files

Last Updated:February 01, 2026, 22:04 IST

The Serbian president suggested the Epstein document dump could be followed by military action against Iran.

Vučić drew a parallel between the Epstein files and past US military strikes while speaking to a Serbian news broadcaster. (IMAGE: REUTERS FILE)

Serbian President Aleksandar Vučić on Sunday said he expected a military strike on Iran within the next 48 hours, linking the timing to the release of documents related to convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein, while speaking on Pink TV.

“I see that the Epstein documents have been released. When such nonsense appears, like with Monica Lewinsky back in the day, someone usually gets bombed. I expect a strike on Iran within the next 48 hours," Vučić was quoted as saying by the widely read Serbian daily Blic. The remarks, which were made in Serbian and are a loose translation, were delivered during a televised interview with Serbian broadcaster Pink and have since circulated widely on social media, with video clips of the exchange going viral.

Vučić appeared to be referring to US military actions that coincided with the Monica Lewinsky scandal during the presidency of Bill Clinton.

In August 1998, days after Clinton publicly admitted to an inappropriate relationship with Lewinsky and as impeachment pressure mounted, the United States launched Operation Infinite Reach, firing cruise missiles at targets in Afghanistan and Sudan, including the Al-Shifa pharmaceutical plant in Khartoum, which Washington said was linked to terrorism.

Four months later, in December 1998, as the US House of Representatives debated impeachment, the Clinton administration carried out Operation Desert Fox, a four-day bombing campaign against Iraq aimed at degrading Saddam Hussein’s military capabilities.

“I don’t believe this will be the reason, but I’m almost certain it will speed up some decisions," he said.

The comments came after US authorities released a fresh tranche of Epstein-related files on Friday, naming several high-profile figures while containing no new criminal accusations against those mentioned.

According to AFP, the documents reference US President Donald Trump, Microsoft co-founder Bill Gates, billionaire Elon Musk, British businessman Richard Branson, US Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick, and Britain’s disgraced former royal Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor. None of those named has been charged with wrongdoing in the file release.

Trump is mentioned in an FBI-compiled list of sexual assault allegations submitted through anonymous calls and unverified tips. The US Justice Department said some of the material contained false or sensational claims submitted to the FBI and stated that allegations against Trump were unfounded. Trump has repeatedly denied any wrongdoing linked to Epstein.

Vučić’s remarks also come amid heightened tensions between the United States and Iran. Washington has recently reinforced its military posture in the region, deploying additional naval assets and warning Tehran to negotiate over its nuclear programme.

Trump has said he hopes Iran will agree to a negotiated deal that would prevent it from acquiring nuclear weapons, while also emphasising the presence of “very big, powerful ships" near Iran’s shores. Iran, in turn, has warned that any US attack would trigger a strong response and potentially a wider regional conflict, even as officials have signalled conditional openness to talks.

News world ‘Expect A Strike Within 48 Hours’: Serbian President Links Possible Iran Attack To Epstein Files

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