Pakistani man convicted of plotting to assassinate Trump

Asif Merchant, 47, was accused of trying to recruit people within US territory in a plan to target Trump – during his first term in 2020 – in retaliation for the assassination of Iranian commander Qassem Soleima by US forces.

Convicted of “contract murder and attempt to commit an act of terrorism transcending national borders”, Merchant was also accused of planning, in 2024, attacks against then-president Joe Biden and Nikki Haley, Trump’s opponent in that year’s Republican primaries.

The trial, which began last week, took place in New York Court days before the US attack on Iran.

Merchant admitted to joining the plot with Iran’s elite Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, but testified that he did so against his will, in order to protect his family in Tehran.

Even after the death of Ali Khamenei, Iran’s Revolutionary Guard still plays a central role in the country’s administration, with a combination of military and economic power and an intelligence network.

In response to the outcome of the trial, Tehran denied accusations that it targeted Trump or other US officials.