The Department of Justice released a report stating that an Iranian plot to assassinate President-elect Donald Trump was thwarted, with an unnamed official in Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps instructing Farhad Shakeri to surveil and ultimately kill Trump. The Iranian Foreign Ministry dismissed these allegations, describing them as baseless and part of a malicious conspiracy aimed at complicating relations between the US and Iran. Iran’s spokesperson, Esmaeil Baghaei, reiterated the country’s commitment to using legitimate means to restore the rights of the Iranian nation.
Farhad Shakeri, who remains at large and is believed to be living in Iran, is accused of also instructing two men, Carlisle Rivera and Jonathon Loadholt, to surveil and kill an American of Iranian origin for $100,000. The targeted individual, journalist Masih Alinejad, has been a vocal critic of the Iranian regime and has been targeted by the government. Attorney General Merrick Garland condemned the Iranian regime’s attempts to endanger American people and national security, emphasizing that Shakeri, Rivera, and Loadholt face charges of murder-for-hire, conspiracy to commit murder-for-hire, and money laundering conspiracy, which could result in significant prison sentences.
The Iranian Foreign Ministry categorically denied the accusations of the assassination plot against President-elect Trump, stating that similar claims in the past have been proven false. The spokesperson described the report as a malicious conspiracy orchestrated by Zionist and anti-Iranian circles to complicate relations between the US and Iran. Despite the allegations and charges, Iran reiterated its commitment to resolving issues through legitimate and legal means at both domestic and international levels to protect the rights of its nation.
Farhad Shakeri, the main suspect in the assassination plot, immigrated to the US as a child but was deported in 2008 after serving time in prison for a robbery conviction. Prosecutors charged Shakeri with conspiracy to provide material support to a foreign terrorist organization, providing material support to a foreign terrorist organization, and conspiracy to violate sanctions against Iran, with each charge carrying a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison. The report also stated that Shakeri tasked Rivera and Loadholt with surveilling and killing Masih Alinejad, who is known for her criticisms of the Iranian regime.
Attorney General Merrick Garland emphasized the seriousness of the charges against Shakeri, Rivera, and Loadholt, stating that the US government will not tolerate any attempts by the Iranian regime to endanger American people and national security. The charges of murder-for-hire, conspiracy to commit murder-for-hire, and money laundering conspiracy could result in significant prison time for the accused individuals. The report highlights the ongoing tensions between the US and Iran, with accusations and counter-accusations leading to further complications in diplomatic relations. Fox News reporters Greg Norman and David Spunt contributed to the coverage of the story.
