Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth says the Iranian operative connected to plots targeting Donald Trump was killed during ongoing U.S.–Israeli military operations.
By yourNEWS Media Newsroom
An Iranian official believed to be connected to alleged assassination plots against President Donald Trump was killed during recent U.S.–Israeli military operations against Iran, according to remarks delivered by Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth.
During a Wednesday briefing, Hegseth announced that the leader of an Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps unit involved in targeting Trump had been eliminated in an airstrike.
“The leader of the unit who attempted to assassinate President Trump has been hunted down and killed. Iran tried to kill President Trump, and President Trump got the last laugh,” Hegseth said.
Reports circulating in Israeli media identified the individual as Rahman Mokadam, described as head of the IRGC’s special operations division. Israeli journalist Amit Segal first reported that the officer had been killed during the strikes, though U.S. officials have not publicly confirmed the identity.
The development comes as federal prosecutors pursue criminal cases tied to alleged Iranian-backed plots to assassinate Trump during the 2024 presidential campaign.
According to court filings and Justice Department statements, two separate assassination schemes connected to Iranian intelligence services were launched that year. One of those cases moved to trial in Brooklyn last week, just days before U.S. and Israeli forces began coordinated strikes against Iran.
The prosecution centers on Pakistani national Asif Merchant, who was charged in connection with a murder-for-hire scheme that authorities say involved recruiting individuals inside the United States to target American officials.
The Justice Department previously filed charges against Merchant and Afghan national Farhad Shakeri for their alleged roles in separate Iranian-linked plots. While Merchant’s case is currently being tried in federal court, Shakeri remains in Iran and has not been apprehended.
Merchant has pleaded not guilty, and proceedings in his case began shortly before the United States launched Operation Epic Fury targeting Iranian military capabilities.
Federal prosecutors say Merchant attempted to arrange a $5,000 payment to individuals he believed were hired killers. Those individuals were actually undercover FBI agents, according to testimony introduced during the trial.
The alleged plot was revealed in a criminal complaint that authorities say relied in part on electronic surveillance and statements Merchant made during interviews with investigators.
An FBI agent testified that Merchant claimed to have a handler connected to Iran’s Revolutionary Guard Corps and believed the IRGC would reimburse funds used to finance the attempted operation.
Court filings show prosecutors also sought to introduce text messages involving the transfer of funds from relatives overseas. The messages were allegedly recovered from a device obtained by the FBI through foreign law-enforcement cooperation.
Defense attorneys for Merchant have argued that some of the evidence should be excluded because they cannot verify the authenticity of materials provided by foreign partners.
The trial has been conducted under heightened security conditions. Federal prosecutors successfully requested that jurors remain anonymous due to the terrorism-related charges and the international implications of the case.
U.S. District Judge Eric Komitee ruled that anonymity was warranted because of the political sensitivity surrounding the allegations and the potential for intimidation.
The Justice Department has characterized the case as part of a broader pattern of Iranian attempts to retaliate against U.S. officials following the 2020 killing of IRGC General Qassem Soleimani.
In earlier statements announcing the charges, federal officials said the alleged assassination effort resembled tactics historically used by the Iranian regime.
The Office of the Director of National Intelligence has also cataloged the plots as examples of “Notable Attack Planning” by the IRGC. Intelligence officials say Iranian security services have frequently relied on third-country intermediaries and criminal networks to maintain distance from operations carried out abroad.
Another alleged assassination effort involved Shakeri, an Afghan national living in Tehran whom prosecutors described as an IRGC asset. Authorities say he was tasked with organizing attacks through a network of criminal associates, including a murder-for-hire plan targeting Trump and other individuals.
Shakeri was also charged in connection with a plot against Iranian-American journalist and activist Masih Alinejad. Two individuals linked to that scheme have pleaded guilty in U.S. courts.
Iranian officials have repeatedly denied involvement in the alleged plots. Government representatives have dismissed the accusations as politically motivated and part of a broader campaign to increase pressure on Tehran.
During the same military campaign that eliminated the IRGC commander, the United States and Israel also carried out strikes against senior Iranian leadership. Trump stated that the operation resulted in the death of Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Hosseini Khamenei.
Trump said in an interview following the strike that he acted before Iran could carry out attacks against him.
“They tried twice. Well, I got him first,” the president said.
Iranian leaders have previously issued public threats against Trump following the Soleimani strike. Iranian officials, including military commanders and political leaders, have repeatedly vowed revenge.
Despite those statements, the Iranian government continues to deny involvement in assassination plots uncovered by U.S. authorities. Iranian officials have argued that claims about such operations are part of a broader political effort to increase tensions between Washington and Tehran.
Meanwhile, proceedings against Merchant continue in federal court in New York as prosecutors and defense attorneys dispute the admissibility of key evidence in the case. A ruling on whether the contested materials will be allowed at trial has not yet been issued.