An Iranian intelligence operative from Pakistan has been convicted by a federal jury of attempting to recruit Americans to kill President Donald Trump and other U.S. officials in a plot linked to Iran’s retaliation for the killing of Qasem Soleimani.
Asif Merchant, who faces up to life in prison, was found guilty of murder for hire and attempting an act of terrorism that transcends national boundaries. Prosecutors stated the plot targeted then-President Joe Biden and former South Carolina Governor Nikki Haley, who was challenging Trump for the Republican nomination.
Attorney General Pam Bondi said: “This man landed on American soil hoping to kill President Trump — instead, he was met with the might of American law enforcement.”
The Department of Justice revealed that the plot hatched by Iran was in retaliation for the killing of Qasem Soleimani, head of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps’ Quds Force, during Trump’s first term. Merchant admitted at trial that he had been sent by the Revolutionary Guard to arrange political assassinations and steal documents.
Merchant arrived in the U.S. in April 2024 and met with undercover law enforcement officers in New York in June. He was arrested on July 12, 2024, before leaving the country.
During his testimony, Merchant revealed he knew the Revolutionary Guard was a designated terrorist organization and had traveled to Iran multiple times. In mid-June 2024, he was sent back to the U.S. with instructions to recruit hit men for the assassination of one of three specific officials — including Trump.
A confidential source who reported Merchant to law enforcement described how he planned the plot using code words and security measures around potential targets. Law enforcement agents foiled the attempt before any attack could be carried out.
Former U.S. ambassador to the United Nations Nikki Haley wrote: “In 2024, the FBI came to my front door to tell me the Iranian regime had put a hit on my life — anytime, anywhere.”
