Pakistani Man Charged in U.S. for Alleged Assassination Plot Linked to Iran

A 46-year-old Pakistani man, Asif Merchant, has been charged in the United States with plotting to assassinate a U.S. politician or government officials in retaliation for the 2020 killing of Iran’s Revolutionary Guards top commander, Qassim Soleimani, according to the Justice Department.

Merchant, who allegedly has ties to Iran, sought to recruit individuals within the U.S. to carry out the plot. Although former President Donald Trump, who authorized the drone strike on Soleimani, was discussed as a possible target, the plot was not specifically conceived to assassinate the former president, according to sources familiar with the investigation.

The criminal complaint against Merchant alleges that he spent time in Iran before traveling to the U.S. from Pakistan. He has been charged with murder for hire in a federal court in Brooklyn, New York. A federal judge ordered his detention on July 17.

Attorney General Merrick Garland emphasized that the Justice Department has been actively working to counter Iran’s efforts to retaliate against American officials for Soleimani’s killing. “For years, the Justice Department has been working aggressively to counter Iran’s brazen and unrelenting efforts to retaliate against American public officials,” Garland said in a statement.

The specific targets of the plot have not been named in court documents. Merchant reportedly told a law enforcement informant that one target would have “security all around.”

The Iranian mission to the United Nations in New York issued a statement denying any connection to the alleged plot, stating that the actions described in the case contradict the Iranian government’s policy of legally prosecuting those responsible for Soleimani’s death.

Despite the seriousness of the plot, law enforcement thwarted Merchant’s plans before any attack could be carried out. The investigation began after an individual Merchant contacted in April to assist with the plot reported the activities to law enforcement and became a confidential informant.

Merchant also reportedly discussed plans to steal documents from one target and organize protests in the U.S. as part of his broader scheme, according to prosecutors.