Pakistani National Arrested for Allegedly Plotting to Assassinate US Official in Retaliation for Iran’s Revolutionary Guards Commander Soleimani’s Death
A shocking development has unfolded in the United States, where a Pakistani national has been arrested for allegedly plotting to assassinate a US official in retaliation for the death of Iran’s Revolutionary Guards commander, Qassem Soleimani.
Asif Raza Merchant, 46, allegedly sought to hire a hitman to eliminate a politician or US government official in the country. The Justice Department made the stunning revelation in a statement, condemning the brazen and unrelenting efforts of Iran to retaliate against American public officials.
Soleimani, a key figure in Iran’s foreign military operations, was killed in a US drone strike in Baghdad in January 2020. Iranian officials have repeatedly vowed to exact “revenge” for the killing. Merchant’s alleged plans were designed to carry out this sinister plot.
Merchant was arrested on July 12 as he planned to leave the country, before he could allegedly carry out the sinister plan. According to FBI Director Christopher Wary, the Pakistani national had “close ties to Iran” and his alleged actions were “straight out of the Iranian playbook.”
In another twist, an FBI official revealed that the assassins Merchant allegedly tried to hire were, in fact, undercover FBI agents. The intended victim remained unidentified, although Attorney General Merrick Garland made it clear that there is no evidence linking Merchant to the assassination attempt against former US President Donald Trump in July.
The US Justice Department has consistently worked aggressively to counter Iran’s actions, promising to spare no resources to disrupt and hold accountable those involved. The alleged plot is only the latest example of Iran’s repeated attempts to take revenge for Soleimani’s killing.
The incident highlights the tense relations between the United States and Iran, as well as the concerns surrounding national security. The arrested Pakistani national is expected to face prosecution, as the US authorities tighten their grip on those who seek to wreak havoc.
The incident comes on the heels of a similar accusation made by the US against an Iranian individual, Shahram Poursafi, who allegedly planned to pay an individual $300,000 to kill former US National Security Advisor John Bolton in 2022. Iran vehemently denied the claims, dismissing it as “fiction.”