WASHINGTON DC, USA – The U.S. Department of Justice on Friday, November 8, 2024, announced federal charges against three men linked to an alleged Iranian plot to assassinate former President Donald Trump.
The thwarted plot, which involved extensive surveillance and coordination, was reportedly directed by Iran’s Revolutionary Guard Corps, IRGC, as an attempt to avenge the 2020 drone strike that killed General Qasem Soleimani, a top IRGC official.
According to the Justice Department, Farhad Shakeri, 51, an Afghan national residing in Tehran, was approached by Iranian officials in September with instructions to surveil and eventually kill Trump.
The Justice Department has stated that Shakeri is currently at large in Iran.
Escalation of Targeted Plans
Shakeri, who allegedly met with senior IRGC members, initially undertook tasks aimed at other U.S.-based targets.
However, on October 7, Iranian officials redirected him, reportedly assigning him seven days to develop a concrete assassination plan focused exclusively on Trump.
If Shakeri failed to devise an actionable plan within this period, the IRGC purportedly intended to wait until after the presidential election, assuming Trump would lose.
Attorney General Merrick Garland expressed deep concern about the sustained threat from the Iranian regime, stating, “The Justice Department has charged an asset of the Iranian regime who was tasked by the regime to direct a network of criminal associates to further Iran’s assassination plots against its targets, including President-elect Donald Trump.”
Two Others Arrested in New York
Two American citizens, Carlisle Rivera and Jonathan Loadholt, were also detained in New York and charged with aiding Iranian surveillance of a U.S. citizen of Iranian origin.
Both men, alleged associates of Shakeri, are accused of monitoring Iranian-American journalist Masih Alinejad, a prominent political activist and frequent target of Iranian assassination plots.
In recorded conversations, Rivera reportedly expressed frustration over how difficult it was to locate Alinejad, referring to her as “hard to catch.”
Connections to Broader Plots
The complaint against Shakeri also detailed alleged Iranian-directed plans for a mass shooting targeting Israeli tourists in Sri Lanka, as well as surveillance on two Jewish businesspeople in New York City, further underscoring Iran’s alleged efforts to employ criminal networks to advance its interests abroad.
FBI Director Christopher Wray echoed Garland’s sentiments, calling the charges a critical step in addressing “grave threats posed by Iranian influence on U.S. soil.”
The three men face charges related to conspiracy, plotting an assassination, and the illegal use of criminal associates to execute foreign-directed operations.
As of Friday, Rivera and Loadholt remain in custody in New York, awaiting trial.
The Justice Department and intelligence agencies are working closely to counter further threats from Iranian affiliates and ensure the safety of targeted individuals within the U.S.
