The Justice Department has accused an Iranian citizen of plotting to kill President-elect Donald Trump. According to a criminal complaint filed in New York City, Farhad Shakeri, aged 51 and hailing from Iran, was allegedly instructed by an official of Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps to carry out surveillance with the ultimate aim of assassinating Trump. This directive was reportedly given on October 7, 2024.
Iranian officials, however, have strongly refuted these claims. Esmaeil Baghaei, a spokesperson for the Iranian government, labeled the accusations as "completely baseless," attributing them to a smear campaign led by Zionist and anti-Iran factions designed to sour US-Iran relations further. Baghaei emphasized Iran's commitment to resolving disputes through legal and legitimate international channels.
Farhad Shakeri is currently believed to be in Iran and has a history in the United States; he moved here as a child but was deported back in 2008 after serving time for robbery. The plot thickens with Shakeri also accused of hiring two New Yorkers for $100,000 to murder an American journalist critical of the Iranian regime.
The U.S. Attorney General Merrick Garland issued a stern warning against any attempts by the Iranian regime to compromise American safety or national security. The charges laid against Shakeri and his alleged accomplices include murder-for-hire and conspiracy charges that could lead them facing up to 20 years behind bars if found guilty.
This case adds another layer of complexity following two assassination attempts on Trump over recent months—one which slightly injured him—and raises questions about possible security breaches within U.S. protective services as suggested by former Secret Service agent Dan Bongino amidst concerns over potential foreign infiltration efforts targeting federal agencies.
Iranian officials, however, have strongly refuted these claims. Esmaeil Baghaei, a spokesperson for the Iranian government, labeled the accusations as "completely baseless," attributing them to a smear campaign led by Zionist and anti-Iran factions designed to sour US-Iran relations further. Baghaei emphasized Iran's commitment to resolving disputes through legal and legitimate international channels.
Farhad Shakeri is currently believed to be in Iran and has a history in the United States; he moved here as a child but was deported back in 2008 after serving time for robbery. The plot thickens with Shakeri also accused of hiring two New Yorkers for $100,000 to murder an American journalist critical of the Iranian regime.
The U.S. Attorney General Merrick Garland issued a stern warning against any attempts by the Iranian regime to compromise American safety or national security. The charges laid against Shakeri and his alleged accomplices include murder-for-hire and conspiracy charges that could lead them facing up to 20 years behind bars if found guilty.
This case adds another layer of complexity following two assassination attempts on Trump over recent months—one which slightly injured him—and raises questions about possible security breaches within U.S. protective services as suggested by former Secret Service agent Dan Bongino amidst concerns over potential foreign infiltration efforts targeting federal agencies.
