A Pakistani man with connections to Iran has been arrested for allegedly planning to assassinate a U.S. official in retaliation for the death of Iranian commander Qassem Soleimani, according to a Justice Department announcement on Tuesday.
Asif Raza Merchant, 46, is accused of attempting to hire a hitman to target a U.S. politician or government official. Attorney General Merrick Garland stated, “The Justice Department has been actively working to counter Iran’s persistent attempts to retaliate against American officials following the killing of General Soleimani.”
Soleimani, who led Iran’s foreign military operations, was killed in a U.S. drone strike in Baghdad in January 2020. Since then, Iranian officials have vowed revenge.
Garland emphasized that the Justice Department is committed to using all available resources to thwart and hold accountable those plotting against American citizens on Iran’s behalf.
While the specific target was not disclosed, Garland confirmed that there is no evidence linking Merchant to the recent assassination attempt against former President Donald Trump in Butler, Pennsylvania.
FBI Director Christopher Wray described Merchant as having “close ties to Iran” and labeled the alleged plot as “typical of Iranian tactics.” The undercover FBI agents were the ones Merchant is accused of trying to hire.
Merchant was arrested on July 12 while preparing to leave the country.
Pakistan’s foreign ministry spokesperson, Mumtaz Zahra Baloch, mentioned that the Pakistani government is in communication with U.S. authorities regarding the case.
In August 2022, the U.S. charged a Revolutionary Guards member, Shahram Poursafi, with plotting to assassinate former National Security Advisor John Bolton. Poursafi, who remains at large, allegedly offered $300,000 for Bolton’s assassination. Iran has dismissed these allegations as “fiction.”
