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Tuesday, November 5, 2024

Iranian officials face US charges over alleged murder-for-hire plot

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Lisa O. Monaco Deputy Attorney General | Official Website

The U.S. Department of Justice has unsealed a superseding indictment charging four individuals from Iran with murder-for-hire, money laundering, and sanctions evasion. The charges are against Ruhollah Bazghandi, known as Roohollah Azimi; Fnu Lnu, also known as Haj Taher; Hossein Sedighi; and Seyed Mohammad Forouzan.

Attorney General Merrick B. Garland stated, "The Justice Department has now charged eight individuals, including an Iranian military official, for their efforts to silence and kill a U.S. citizen because of her criticism of the Iranian regime." He emphasized that efforts by regimes like Iran to undermine American rights will not be tolerated.

FBI Director Christopher Wray commented on the indictment's significance: "Today’s indictment exposes the full extent of Iran’s plot to silence an American journalist for criticizing the Iranian regime." According to Wray, the FBI disrupted a plan involving an Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps brigadier general and other conspirators intending to kill a dissident in New York City.

Assistant Attorney General Matthew G. Olsen highlighted that the indictment reveals years of attempts by the Iranian regime to target an American dissident on U.S. soil: "The Department is committed to exposing and holding accountable those in Tehran who believe they can hide their hand in carrying out such reprehensible activities."

U.S. Attorney Damian Williams described ongoing efforts by Iran since January 2023 to execute a plot against this individual: "In January 2023, we unsealed charges alleging that members of an Eastern European crime group engaged in a plot to murder this victim."

The indictment details how Bazghandi and others allegedly contracted members of an Eastern European criminal organization for this purpose. The network includes Rafat Amirov (also known as Farkhaddin Mirzoev), Polad Omarov (also known as Araz Aliyev), Zialat Mamedov (also known as Ziko), and Khalid Mehdiyev.

Bazghandi is identified as an IRGC Brigadier General involved in intelligence operations designated by both the U.S. Secretary of State and Treasury Department under Executive Orders related to terrorism and sanctions violations.

Amirov, Omarov, Mamedov were arrested overseas in early 2023 with pending trials in the United States or extradition processes underway. The Justice Department emphasizes all defendants remain innocent until proven guilty beyond reasonable doubt.

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