Rubio Welcomes Conviction of Two Suspects in Attempted Assassination of Masih Alinejad in the U.S.

The U.S. Secretary of State welcomed the court's ruling against two suspects in the attempted murder of Masih Alinejad, a political activist opposing the Iranian government in New York, warning all groups affiliated with the Islamic Republic that they will be subject to investigation and legal prosecution in the U.S. A federal jury in New York found the two suspects guilty on all charges on Thursday, March 30, 2024. Rafat Amirov, 46, and Polad Amirov, 40, will receive their sentences on September 17 of this year. Earlier, Michael Lockard, an assistant U.S. attorney, told the jury that the Iranian government considers Alinejad an 'enemy' and has tried for years to 'harass, defame, and intimidate' her, and 'when these efforts failed, offered a $500,000 bounty on her head.' According to a statement from the U.S. Department of Justice, 'high-ranking members of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps' had ordered the assassination of Ms. Alinejad. The prosecutor stated that the two high-ranking members of the Russian mafia, Rafat Amirov and Polad Amirov, were paid by the Iranian government to organize the assassination plot against Alinejad in 2022, and there is 'very strong evidence' in this regard. In response to the jury's announcement, Masih Alinejad stated in a message on her X platform that she and Iranian women are victorious, and that 'you, Ali Khamenei and your despised regime, are the losers.' Alinejad further wrote: 'For the first time, the Islamic Republic regime has been questioned for bringing its terrorist campaign to U.S. soil.' The next day, Marco Rubio, the U.S. Secretary of State, also promised in a message on X that during Donald Trump's presidency, 'fake groups and Iranian proxy forces attempting to operate in the U.S. will be subject to investigation and legal prosecution.' Masih Alinejad is a prominent activist for women's rights and civil and political freedoms in Iran, actively participating in campaigns against compulsory hijab and disseminating news and images related to Iranian women's civil activities.