The Department of Justice (DOJ) unsealed a complaint which revealed an Iranian plot to assassinate a U.S. politician or official. The Iran used a murder-for-hire scheme and a Pakistani surrogate, Asif Raaza Merchant.
“This dangerous murder-for-hire plot exposed in today’s complaint allegedly was orchestrated by a Pakistani national with close ties to Iran and is straight out of the Iranian playbook,” said FBI Director Christopher Wray. “A foreign-directed plot to kill a public official, or any U.S. citizen, is a threat to our national security and will be met with the full might and resources of the FBI.”
The Assassination plot
The complaint reveals that Merchant has two wives and families, one in Iran and the other in Pakistan. It also shows that he traveled to the U.S. in April 2024, from Pakistan. He had previously been in Iran, where it appears he received his marching orders. In June 2024, he connected with an individual to help him with the assassination plans. The individual reported the approach to law enforcement and became a confidential source. Merchant explained his plans were not a one-off and had multiple criminal acts:
- Stealing documents or USB drives from target’s home
- Planning a protest
- Killing a politician or government official
In mid-June, he met with the purported hitmen, who were in reality FBI special agents. Merchant’s plan had him distancing himself from the actual attack on a U.S. politician or government official and that he would send instructions to the hitmen the last week of August or first week of September. On June 21, Merchant paid $5000 to the “hitmen” and when the undercover FBI agents said to Merchant, “Now we are going forward. We’re doing this,” he responded “Yes, absolutely.”
Merchant made plans to depart from the U.S. on July 12 and was arrested before he could leave the United States.
“Fortunately, the assassins Merchant allegedly tried to hire were undercover FBI Agents,” said Acting Assistant Director Christie Curtis of the FBI New York Field Office. “This case underscores the dedication and formidable efforts of our agents, analysts and prosecutors in New York, Houston, and Dallas. Their success in neutralizing this threat not only prevented a tragic outcome but also reaffirms the FBI’s commitment to protecting our nation and its citizens from both domestic and international threats.”
Not Iran’s first rodeo
Iranian cyber actors have targeted U.S. government employees, current and former, via WhatsApp using phone numbers associated with locales outside of Iran. In 2020, they were found to be using a German number. There hook in 2020 to get individuals on to WhatsApp and/or Zoom was a scholarly call about Iran.
The Iranian targeting has not stopped at the cyber door. Also in 2020, it was revealed that Iran was targeting the U.S. Ambassador to South Africa, Lana Marks for assassination.
In January 2021 four Iranian officers of the Iranian intelligencer service (MOIS) were sanctioned by the Department of Treasury for their hand in a plot to kidnap U.S. citizens.
Three individuals were indicted in January 2024 for their plans to attempt to assassinate dissident Iranians, opposed the the Iranian regime. The modus operandi used in that scheme, was remarkably similar to that revealed this week in Brooklyn.
One should assume this is not the only plot by Iran to dispatch surrogates to the United States to engage in criminal activities, to include assassination, and remain vigilant, especially those in the cleared community.
See something, say something, remains valid and indispensable.
