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The Department of Justice revealed significant developments on Friday, announcing charges against an Iranian man and two residents of New York in a sordid murder-for-hire scheme targeting then-candidate Donald Trump and a prominent American journalist critical of the Iranian regime. This alarming plot was reportedly orchestrated by the Iranian government in retaliation for the 2020 killing of Iranian military leader Qasem Soleimani.

According to the U.S. attorney for the Southern District of New York, Damian Williams, Iran directed these individuals to carry out attacks on U.S. soil and beyond, specifically instructing them to surveil and eliminate President-elect Trump. These actions were characterized by Williams as a direct threat to American citizens and national security.

The accused are identified as Farhad Shakeri, reportedly an asset of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) living in Tehran, and U.S. residents Carlisle Rivera of Brooklyn and Jonathan Loadholt of Staten Island. Shakeri, an Afghan national deported from the U.S. after a 1994 robbery conviction, was allegedly instructed in mid-to-late September to plan Trump's assassination. The instructions came with a stern warning: failure to produce a viable plan by October 7 would prompt the IRGC to defer the operation until after the U.S. presidential elections, presuming Trump’s loss would facilitate an easier assassination.

Shakeri also confessed to federal agents that he was instructed to surveil and murder two Jewish Americans in New York City and target Israeli tourists in Sri Lanka. He purportedly engaged with federal agents multiple times since late September, ostensibly hoping to leverage his cooperation for a sentence reduction for a currently imprisoned individual in the U.S.

In a parallel plot, Rivera and Loadholt were allegedly part of a conspiracy to kill Masih Alinejad, an American journalist and staunch critic of the Iranian regime. The findings revealed that the two suspects conducted extensive surveillance on Alinejad and amassed a stockpile of firearms, including semi-automatic rifles and shotguns. Alinejad, informed about the plot by the FBI, expressed shock and called on the U.S. to adopt a firmer stance against terrorism.

Attorney General Merrick Garland underscored the severity of the threat posed by Iran, emphasizing the U.S. commitment to safeguarding its citizens from foreign orchestrated violence. FBI Director Christopher Wray lamented the IRGC's collaboration with criminals to target Americans, reaffirming that such acts of aggression would not be tolerated.

The defendants face numerous charges, including murder-for-hire, conspiracy, and money laundering, with potential sentences reaching up to 40 years in prison. Additional charges against Shakeri for providing material support to a terrorist organization and violating international sanctions could add another 60 years to his sentence.

This case highlights the persistent and grave risks posed by international terrorism and underscores the ongoing efforts of U.S. authorities to prevent violent acts and protect American lives.