The Department of Justice (DOJ) has announced federal charges against three individuals linked to an alleged Iranian scheme to assassinate President-elect Donald Trump.
What Happened: The Justice Department disclosed on Friday that Farhad Shakeri, 51, was instructed by Iranian officials in September to conduct surveillance and ultimately assassinate Trump, as reported by CNN.
Shakeri, who remains at large in Iran, was allegedly directed by Iran’s Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) to focus on Trump after initially being tasked with other assassination missions against U.S. and Israeli citizens.
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Prosecutors have accused Shakeri of engaging in recorded conversations with law enforcement and being given a seven-day deadline by IRGC officials on October 7 to devise an assassination plan.
Two other individuals, Carlisle Rivera and Jonathan Loadholt, were arrested in New York for allegedly aiding the Iranian government in surveilling a separate U.S. citizen of Iranian origin. Both appeared in court on Thursday and are detained pending trial.
Attorney General Merrick Garland and FBI Director Christopher Wray have condemned the threats from Iran, highlighting the serious national security risk posed by the Iranian regime.
Why It Matters: The revelation of this plot comes amid heightened tensions between the U.S. and Iran.
Earlier this year, U.S. intelligence agencies disclosed that Iran attempted to share hacked information from Trump’s campaign with President Biden’s team, though no response from the Biden campaign was found.
This incident, reported in September, underscores Iran’s ongoing cyber and physical threats against U.S. interests.
Additionally, Trump himself has publicly acknowledged threats to his life from Iran, expressing gratitude for increased Secret Service protection.
These developments highlight the persistent and multifaceted threats posed by Iran, necessitating vigilance and robust security measures by U.S. authorities.
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Disclaimer: This content was partially produced with the help of AI tools and was reviewed and published by Benzinga editors.
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