image sourced from original article at A federal court in New York City has convicted Asif Merchant, an agent working on behalf of Iran, of attempting to assassinate United States officials, including President Donald Trump. Merchant, who holds ties to Pakistan and Iran, traveled to the United States in 2024 with the intent of hiring hitmen to carry out the killings.
According to prosecutors, Merchant began working for Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps in late 2022 and received training in intelligence gathering and counter-surveillance techniques. He later sought assistance from an acquaintance in New York to advance the plot.
The acquaintance alerted law enforcement authorities and became a confidential source, leading to Merchant's arrest months after his arrival. Merchant admitted during trial that he acted on behalf of the Iranian military organization and now faces a potential sentence of life in prison.
