“Few actors in the world pose as serious a threat to the national security of the United States as Iran,” Justice Secretary Merrick Garland said in a statement from his office. “These Iranian regime agents were tasked by the regime to lead a network of criminal accomplices to carry out Iran's assassination plans against its targets, including President-elect Donald Trump,” he added.
The Islamic Republic has been trying for several years to avenge the death of Revolutionary Guard general Qassem Soleimani, who was killed on January 3, 2020 in Iraq in a drone strike ordered by Donald Trump, the then president, the Defense Ministry recalled.
A journalist was also targeted
Two Americans were also arrested Thursday in the case, Carlisle Rivera, 49, and Jonathon Loadholt, 36, both residents of New York City, and charged with plotting the murder of a Native American journalist of Iranian origin, who was highly critical of the Islamic Republic.