A military official with the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps of Iran, Ruhollah Bazghandi, and three others were charged by federal prosecutors for plotting to assassinate Iranian-American journalist Masih Alinejad in New York. The other suspects are based in Iran and remain at large, while previous charges have been brought against others linked to the plot. Alinejad, known for her outspoken criticisms of Iran’s human rights abuses, was the target of an alleged murder-for-hire plot by the IRGC, attempting to silence her criticism of the regime. Members of an Eastern European crime group were hired to carry out the plot, but some were arrested before the attack could be carried out. Despite these arrests, prosecutors claim that the plot persisted with surveillance on Alinejad’s residence. The defendants have been charged with murder-for-hire, conspiracy, money laundering, and violations of sanctions against Iran. This indictment is the latest development in escalating tensions between the U.S. and Iran, with a wave of attempted hits and kidnappings reportedly tied to Iran. The Biden administration has offered rewards for suspects involved in similar plots, while the Department of Justice has indicted individuals for alleged murder plots targeting Iranian dissidents on U.S. soil.
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