Pakistani Man Charged with Attempting to Hire a 'Hitman' on Behalf of the Islamic Republic Goes to Court

A Pakistani man accused of being linked to the Iranian government in a plot to assassinate an American politician in retaliation for the killing of Qassem Soleimani will appear in court in New York on Tuesday, September 17. Federal prosecutors in Brooklyn say 46-year-old Asif Reza Merchant spent some time in Iran before traveling to the United States to hire individuals to carry out this plot. Previously, American officials stated that this Pakistani man, in addition to having a wife and children in Pakistan, also has a wife and children in Iran. It is unclear how the Islamic Republic recruited this Pakistani citizen for its plot. Merrick Garland, the U.S. Attorney General, stated a few days earlier, 'As these charges against Asif Merchant demonstrate, terrorism and hiring for murder, we will continue to hold accountable those seeking to carry out the Iranian regime's deadly plot against Americans.' Additionally, U.S. Attorney Breon Peace said, 'As charged, Merchant conspired to assassinate U.S. politicians and government officials. Today's indictment is a message to terrorists here and abroad.' The intended victim of the Islamic Republic's plot has not been identified. The U.S. Attorney General mentioned that there is no evidence linking Merchant to an assassination attempt two months ago against former President Donald Trump at a campaign rally in Pennsylvania. There is also no evidence linking this Pakistani citizen to the assassination attempt on Sunday, September 16, against Trump. Christopher Wray, the head of the FBI, stated that this Pakistani man had 'close ties to the Iranian government' and that the murder-for-hire plot was 'directly from the Iranian regime's playbook.' Another FBI official stated that the assassins Merchant allegedly tried to hire were actually undercover FBI agents. The U.S. Department of Justice announced that this Pakistani citizen entered the United States after spending some time in Iran and contacted someone he believed could help him with the plan to kill a politician or government official. However, that person reported the matter to law enforcement. Asif Reza Merchant was arrested on July 12 while attempting to leave the United States. The Iranian representation at the United Nations stated last month that 'no report on this matter has been received from the U.S. government.' In August 2022, the United States charged a member of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps with plotting to assassinate John Bolton, a former U.S. National Security Advisor. The Department of Justice stated that Shahram Poursafi, who remains at large, offered to pay $300,000 to someone in the U.S. to kill Bolton. Chuck Grassley, a Republican senator, has released FBI documents showing that individuals supported by the Iranian regime were seeking to assassinate several prominent American political figures in connection with the killing of Qassem Soleimani. These documents, reported by Fox News, were provided to Senator Grassley through 'whistleblower statements that are protected by law' and indicate that the Iranian regime has targeted several American politicians and military personnel, including President Joe Biden, former President Donald Trump, and former U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations Nikki Haley, who is also a former presidential candidate. Previously, Michael McCaul, the Republican chairman of the House Foreign Affairs Committee, described reports about 'the Iranian regime's plot to kill a politician or American official through a Pakistani national' as 'horrifying.' This senior lawmaker stated that the Iranian government is brazenly attempting to carry out terrorist acts on U.S. soil and added, 'The arrest of the suspect is a good step, but the government must take significant actions to hold Iran accountable for this plot and prevent future plans.'