Federal prosecutors say two Iranian-connected murder-for-hire schemes aimed at Donald Trump were part of broader 2024 efforts to interfere in U.S. politics, as one defendant now stands trial in New York.
By yourNEWS Media Newsroom
A terrorism and murder-for-hire trial underway in federal court this week is drawing renewed attention to allegations that operatives linked to Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) sought to assassinate Donald Trump during the 2024 presidential campaign.
According to a report by Just the News, federal prosecutors allege that two separate plots tied to Iranian intelligence services targeted then-candidate Trump in 2024, amid broader claims that Tehran sought to influence the U.S. election.
The Justice Department brought charges against Pakistani national Asif Merchant and Afghan national Farhad Shakeri for their alleged roles in Iranian-backed assassination conspiracies. Shakeri remains at large in Iran, while Merchant has pleaded not guilty and is now on trial in the Eastern District of New York, as reflected in court records in United States v. Merchant.
Prosecutors have charged Merchant with murder-for-hire and attempting to commit an act of terrorism transcending national boundaries, as detailed in the federal criminal complaint and subsequent indictment. Although Trump’s name does not appear in the charging documents, multiple law enforcement officials told outlets including CBS News, CNN, Politico, and ABC News that Trump was an intended target.
The Office of the Director of National Intelligence (ODNI) has categorized both 2024 plots as “Notable Attack Plotting” by the IRGC on its terrorist groups page. In a November 2024 unclassified assessment, ODNI described Iranian efforts to target former U.S. officials in retaliation for the 2020 killing of IRGC General Qassem Soleimani.
Prosecutors allege Merchant traveled from Pakistan to the United States via Turkey and sought to hire hitmen, who were in fact undercover law enforcement officers. The DOJ said Merchant paid $5,000 in cash as an advance on the plot, according to court filings summarized here. The FBI agent who authored the complaint compared the alleged conspiracy to prior IRGC-linked plots, including the 2022 case against an IRGC member accused of targeting former National Security Adviser John Bolton.
Then-FBI Director Christopher Wray said at the time that the alleged scheme “was orchestrated by a Pakistani national with close ties to Iran and is straight out of the Iranian playbook,” in remarks documented in a Senate letter released here. Then-Attorney General Merrick Garland stated that the Justice Department had been “working aggressively to counter Iran’s brazen and unrelenting efforts to retaliate against American public officials,” in the DOJ’s press release.
Merchant was arrested on July 12, 2024, when attempting to depart the United States, according to the DOJ filing. The following day, Trump survived an assassination attempt at a campaign rally in Butler, Pennsylvania.
In pretrial proceedings, U.S. Attorney Joseph Nocella Jr. requested that the jury remain anonymous, citing terrorism charges and concerns about potential retaliation, in a motion filed here. Defense attorneys opposed the request in a response submitted here, arguing that the government’s concerns were speculative. Judge Eric Komitee ultimately granted anonymity for jurors in a ruling available here, writing that “given the nature of the charges, and the current tensions with Iran, anonymity will serve to protect the judicial process.”
Jury selection materials included questions asking prospective jurors whether their views about President Trump or the IRGC would affect their impartiality, as shown in the publicly released juror questionnaire.
Separately, Shakeri was charged in the Southern District of New York with murder-for-hire and material support offenses, as outlined in the DOJ’s announcement. According to prosecutors, Shakeri directed criminal associates in plots targeting Trump and others. Shakeri remains in Iran, reportedly beyond the reach of U.S. authorities, as noted by the BBC.
Iranian officials have denied involvement. Foreign Ministry spokesman Esmaeil Baghaei called the accusations “completely baseless” in a post published here. Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian told NBC News that “Iran has never attempted to nor does it plan to assassinate anyone,” in an interview reported here.
The trial of Asif Merchant is expected to last approximately four weeks. Federal prosecutors contend the case represents part of a broader pattern of IRGC-linked operations targeting U.S. officials, while defense attorneys argue the evidence does not substantiate the government’s claims. The proceedings are unfolding amid heightened diplomatic tensions between Washington and Tehran, and as U.S. officials continue to assess the scope of alleged foreign threats against American political figures.
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