Iran has denied any information from the US about its involvement in the arrest of a Pakistani citizen who is accused of plotting to assassinate high-ranking political figures in the country, including former President Trump. Tehran said that these allegations are completely baseless and there is no evidence to prove any connection between Iran and the incident.
On August 7, the IRNA news agency reported a strong reaction from the Iranian Mission to the United Nations to the country’s false accusations and allegations regarding its involvement in attempts to assassinate politicians in the US, especially former President Donald Trump. Tehran did not hesitate to reject these claims, saying they are completely baseless and just a misguided attempt to blame Iran in international relations. Iran also emphasized its determination to resolve conflicts and promote regional peace and stability.
US security forces stand next to the body of the suspect who shot Mr. Trump in Butler, Pennsylvania. Photo: NY Post
The Iranian mission said that on August 6, local time, it responded to questions about anti-Iranian statements linking the country to a Pakistani accused of a political assassination on US soil.
“We have not received any reports on this issue from the US government. However, it is clear that the modus operandi in question is inconsistent with the Iranian government’s policy of lawfully prosecuting the killer of General Soleimani,” the statement said.
Earlier, US media cited information from the Department of Justice about Pakistani citizen Asif Merchant, 46, suspected of collaborating with Iran to carry out a plot to assassinate high-ranking political figures in the US, especially in late August and early September, including former President Donald Trump.
A US official, quoted in the statement, said the FBI investigation had identified a number of current and former senior government officials, including Mr. Trump, as targets of the plot. The statement has escalated tensions between Iran and the US, and it is being seen as one of the hottest issues on the international stage today.
CNN quoted prosecutors as saying that Merchant was arrested on July 12 as he was preparing to leave the US, shortly after he met the men he hired as assassins, but they were ironically undercover police officers.
According to media reports, the indictment in the case, announced by federal prosecutors in Brooklyn, New York on August 6, has prompted the administration to increase security for Mr. Trump and several other officials.
Mr. Trump was taken away by security from the scene after being shot in the ear in the failed assassination attempt on July 13. Photo: AP.
On July 13, while giving a speech at a campaign rally in Pennsylvania, former President Donald Trump, a Republican presidential candidate, was shot multiple times by a local man named Thomas Matthew Crooks, injuring him in the right ear.
Iran has repeatedly denied any involvement in the incident. The country’s Foreign Ministry strongly rejects any involvement in the attack on Trump or any such intention, calling such accusations politically motivated and malicious.
In a statement shortly after the incident, the Iranian Mission to the United Nations rejected reports of Tehran’s role in the assassination of Trump, calling them “baseless and biased”.
At the United Nations, the Iranian mission made its position clear, affirming Tehran’s determination to continue to seek justice for former President Donald Trump through open legal means and prosecution in court.
Iran accused Trump of ordering the assassination of General Soleimani, the country’s anti-terrorism icon, in a US drone strike near Baghdad Airport, Iraq, in early 2020. IRNA took note of the incident, stressing the seriousness of the actions and the enormous consequences they could cause.
