By Smartencyclopedia News Desk
November 9, 2024
In a dramatic development underscoring ongoing tensions between Washington and Tehran, the U.S. Justice Department has filed charges against an Iranian man accused of participating in a plot to assassinate President-elect Donald Trump. The details of the alleged scheme were revealed through a criminal complaint unsealed in federal court in Manhattan, in which authorities outlined what they described as a disturbing murder-for-hire operation sanctioned by Tehran’s paramilitary Revolutionary Guard.
The plot was uncovered after Farhad Shakeri, identified as an Iranian government asset, provided information to U.S. investigators. Shakeri, who has a record of robbery convictions in the United States and is known for his connections to criminal networks, reportedly disclosed that he was directed to initiate a surveillance and assassination plan on Trump. The alleged instructions came from a Revolutionary Guard contact, who issued Shakeri a one-week deadline to develop the plan in September, even emphasizing that “money’s not an issue” in its execution.
According to the complaint, Shakeri said the official suggested pausing the operation if it couldn’t be executed promptly, as he believed Trump’s re-election loss would facilitate an assassination attempt after the election. This revelation comes just days after Trump’s victory over Democrat Kamala Harris, marking a tumultuous post-election landscape as Iran’s ambitions to destabilize U.S. leadership come under further scrutiny.
The Justice Department confirmed that Shakeri remains at large and is believed to be residing in Iran. The two other defendants named in the complaint, Jonathan Loadholt and Carlisle Rivera, have not issued statements, and their legal representatives were unavailable for comment. Iran’s Mission to the United Nations also refrained from addressing the matter.
The complaint further details how Shakeri allegedly discussed his plot with FBI agents in a series of recorded phone calls, describing his contacts within Iran’s Revolutionary Guard and revealing separate assassination plots against Jewish Americans in New York and Israeli tourists in Sri Lanka. Shakeri, an Afghan national who came to the United States as a child, was deported following a 14-year prison sentence for robbery. He reportedly offered information to U.S. authorities in the hopes of securing a reduced sentence for an incarcerated associate.
U.S. officials said that, while some of Shakeri’s statements were inconsistent, his account of Iran’s willingness to finance Trump’s assassination was corroborated.
“This case underscores the continued threat Iran poses to U.S. national security and to specific individuals who challenge the regime’s policies,” Attorney General Merrick Garland said in a statement. FBI Director Christopher Wray added that Iran’s actions demonstrate “brazen attempts to target U.S. citizens and government officials who criticize Tehran.”
The assassination plot follows longstanding friction between Iran and Trump, whose previous administration withdrew from the nuclear deal with Tehran, reimposed sanctions, and ordered the killing of Iranian General Qassem Soleimani in 2020. This escalation has led Iran’s leadership to repeatedly vow retribution, while intelligence sources note that Iran views Trump’s policy stance as particularly antagonistic to its geopolitical interests.
A spokesperson for Trump’s team, Steven Cheung, confirmed that Trump is aware of the alleged plot but remains undeterred in his plans to “return to the White House and restore peace around the world.”
This case forms part of a broader, escalating U.S.-Iran confrontation that has seen both countries engage in cyber operations. Iran reportedly conducted a hack-and-leak operation targeting Trump’s campaign aides during the recent election cycle. Intelligence analysts indicate that Iran’s resistance to Trump’s leadership is a response to his administration’s economic and military pressures, which have significantly impacted Iran’s economy and strategic influence.
As federal officials continue to assess the details of the alleged assassination plot, the incident highlights an enduring and volatile chapter in U.S.-Iran relations. The Justice Department is expected to release further information as the investigation progresses, which underscores the high stakes and tensions facing the incoming administration.