DOJ Unveils Charges in Alleged Iranian Plot to Assassinate Former U.S. President Trump

In a newly revealed case, the U.S. Department of Justice has brought charges against three individuals allegedly involved in an Iranian-backed plot to assassinate former President Donald Trump. The primary suspect, Farhad Shakeri, reportedly operating under the directive of Iran's Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC), was instructed in early October to develop a plan targeting Trump within a week. Shakeri, an Afghan national living in Tehran, allegedly engaged two U.S. associates, who were arrested in New York, to assist with monitoring a different U.S. target of Iranian descent.

According to court documents, Shakeri's orders marked an escalation in Iranian plans against U.S. officials, stemming from the 2020 drone strike that killed General Soleimani. Statements from Attorney General Merrick Garland and FBI Director Christopher Wray underscored the significance of this threat to national security and emphasized continued efforts to counter such plots.