Shift In U.S.-Iran Tensions As Iran-linked Assassination Plot Uncovered
U.S. prosecutors have unveiled charges linked to an alleged Iranian plot to assassinate former President Donald Trump and prominent dissident Iranian-American journalist Masih Alinejad. The U.S. Justice Department reported that the plot against Trump was orchestrated by Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) in apparent retaliation for the 2020 killing of Iranian General Qassem Soleimani, a strike ordered by Trump. Farhad Shakeri, 51, an Afghan national believed to be in Iran, was reportedly “tasked” by the IRGC to devise a plan targeting Trump.
Shakeri, described as an “IRGC asset” by U.S. officials, is also implicated in a separate scheme involving two other men, Carlisle Rivera and Jonathon Loadholt, both New York residents. Shakeri allegedly directed Rivera and Loadholt to conduct surveillance on Alinejad, a vocal critic of the Iranian regime and target of prior assassination attempts. Rivera and Loadholt are currently in U.S. custody, facing charges related to their involvement in plotting against Alinejad.
According to the Justice Department, Shakeri initially contacted FBI agents hoping to negotiate a sentence reduction for a contact held in U.S. prison. During these interactions, Shakeri disclosed IRGC’s approach in September, when he was allegedly instructed to create an assassination plan for Trump. When Shakeri indicated the operation would be costly, the IRGC official reportedly replied, “Money’s not an issue.” Despite expectations that targeting Trump would be easier post-election, Shakeri was asked to produce a plan within seven days.
This revelation marks the latest in a series of alleged IRGC-led assassination plots, reflecting ongoing U.S.-Iran tensions over Soleimani’s killing. In recent years, multiple individuals with supposed IRGC links have been charged in U.S. courts over plots targeting high-profile Americans. In another recent case, the U.S. State Department announced a $20 million reward for information leading to the arrest of an Iranian individual alleged to have plotted to kill former White House official John Bolton.
