A federal court in New York has accused Rouhollah Bazghandi, the former head of the IRGC's counterintelligence department, and three others of participating in a 'plot to assassinate' Masih Alinejad, a journalist and political activist opposed to the Islamic Republic. According to the indictment released on Tuesday, October 23, these individuals are accused of being involved in a plan to kidnap and murder Ms. Alinejad in 2022. U.S. prosecutors had previously charged one person two years ago and two others in January of last year with plotting to assassinate this human rights activist, all of whom are citizens of Azerbaijan and members of criminal gangs in Europe and the U.S. Christopher Wray, the director of the FBI, stated that 'today's indictment reveals the extent of the Iranian regime's conspiracy to silence an Iranian-American journalist due to her criticism of the Iranian regime.' In response to the New York federal court's new ruling, Ms. Alinejad told ABC News that the assassination plot is a stark reminder of the 'brutal actions of the Islamic regime' to silence dissenters, even far beyond Iran's borders. She emphasized that this action by the Islamic Republic has made her more determined to be the voice of millions of Iranians who face similar 'killers' within the country. The U.S. had previously sanctioned Brigadier General Rouhollah Bazghandi for his involvement in the detention of American citizens in Iran and the Islamic Republic's terrorist plots abroad. The New York court filing states that in addition to Rouhollah Bazghandi, three other individuals also participated in the assassination plot against Ms. Alinejad, all of whom live freely in Iran and are accused of involvement in several assassination conspiracy plots. Previously, Khalid Mahdiyev, Polad Omrakhov, and Rafat Amirov, Azerbaijani citizens and members of a criminal gang linked to the assassination plot against Ms. Alinejad, had been arrested and are currently in U.S. prisons. Khalid Mahdiyev was arrested in July 2022 with an AK-47 in front of Ms. Alinejad's home. The U.S. Department of Justice has stated that he intended to lure Masih Alinejad out of her home and assassinate her. Masih Alinejad is a prominent activist for women's rights and political and civil freedoms in Iran, and she has played an active role in launching campaigns against compulsory hijab and disseminating news and images related to the civil activities of Iranian women.
The U.S. Accuses Senior IRGC Commander of Involvement in 'Assassination Plot' Against Masih Alinejad
The U.S. has indicted a senior IRGC commander and three others for plotting to assassinate Iranian-American journalist Masih Alinejad. This case highlights ongoing threats against dissenters and the Iranian regime's attempts to silence critics abroad. It underscores the international implications of Iran's actions against activists.
👥 Key Players
⚡ Actions
📰 What Happened
U.S. indicts IRGC commander and others in assassination plot against activist Masih Alinejad.
- U.S. federal court indict Rouhollah Bazghandi, three others
- U.S. Government sanction Rouhollah Bazghandi
- U.S. authorities arrest Khalid Mahdiyev, Polad Omrakhov, Rafat Amirov
💡 Why It Matters
📚 Background
The indictment reveals a serious threat posed by the Iranian regime to activists abroad.
📝 Key Evidence
🏷️ Entities Mentioned
Translated from the original and edited for English readers. View original source →
Translation confidence: 85%