New Information on the Islamic Republic's Hired Agents for the Assassination of Donald Trump

The U.S. Department of Justice identified the main agent of the Islamic Republic for the assassination of Donald Trump as Farhad Shakri, 51, from Iran, along with his associates Carlyle Rivera, 49, from Brooklyn, New York, and Jonathan Ludolt, 36, from Staten Island, New York. The Department of Justice has accused these three not only of attempting and planning to assassinate the elected President of the United States but also of participating in a conspiracy to murder an Iranian-American citizen in New York. Rivera was arrested in Brooklyn and Ludolt in Staten Island, while Shakri is at large and believed to be residing in Iran. According to the U.S. Department of Justice statement, Shakri, who now lives as an agent of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps in Tehran, immigrated to the United States with his parents as a child but was deported in 2008 after serving 14 years in prison for theft. The Department of Justice indicated that in recent months, Shakri had utilized a network of 'criminal associates' he became acquainted with while in U.S. prison to oversee operational forces and assassinate IRGC targets. Shakri, Rivera, and Ludolt have been charged with 'conspiracy to commit murder for hire' and 'conspiracy to commit money laundering,' which could lead to a maximum of 20 years in prison for each. Jason Brodsky, policy director at the 'United Against a Nuclear Iran' organization, reacted to the charges against Shakri and his accomplices by posting on X that Farhad Shakri had voluntarily cooperated with the FBI to potentially reduce the punishment of 'Individual 1' in this case, who is currently in U.S. custody. Mr. Brodsky also wrote in this post: 'Now that the IRGC knows Farhad Shakri, who is still in Iran, has cooperated with the U.S., what will happen to him? Is the IRGC also seeking a reduction in the punishment of the imprisoned individual? The story and motivation are very complex.' Meanwhile, Merrick Garland, the U.S. Attorney General, stated regarding these three individuals: 'We will soon prosecute the agents affiliated with the Iranian regime who have been hired to carry out assassination plots and attacks against U.S. targets, including Donald Trump.' Last month, the United States warned the Islamic Republic that any assassination attempt against Donald Trump would be considered an 'act of war' and would be countered. Reuters also reported in mid-October that the Islamic Republic has been involved in at least 33 assassination or kidnapping attempts in Europe and the U.S. since 2020.