Department of Justice says it was blocked Iranian conspiracy killing President-elect Donald Trump in the weeks leading up to the election.

The criminal complaint filed in federal court in New York City states that an unnamed official from Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps asked Iranian Farhad Shakeri, 51, in September to “focus on surveilling and ultimately assassinating the former US President.” States, Donald J. Trump.”

“There are few actors in the world that pose as serious a threat to the national security of the United States as Iran,” said Attorney General Merrick Garland. he said in a statement. “The Justice Department has charged a source in the Iranian regime who was tasked with directing a network of accomplices to advance assassination plans against Iran’s targets, including President-elect Donald Trump.

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“We also charged and arrested two individuals who we allege were recruited as part of this network to silence and kill an American journalist on US soil who was a leading critic of the regime,” Garland said. “We will not oppose the Iranian regime’s attempts to endanger the American people and America’s national security.”

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The Justice Department said Shakeri, who remains at large and is believed to be living in Iran, “immigrated to the United States as a child and was deported in 2008 after serving 14 years in prison for robbery.”

President-elect Donald Trump arrives to speak during an election night event in West Palm Beach, Florida. (Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images)

“Shakeri reported that he was assigned to provide law enforcement with a plan to kill President-elect Donald J. Trump on October 7, 2024.”

Trump was referred to as “Victim-4” in court filings.

“According to Shakeri, during his meeting with IRGC Official-I on or about October 7, 2024, IRGC Official-I instructed Shakeri to submit a plan to kill Victim-4 within seven days. IRGC Official-I -I stated during this time period that the IRGC would pause its plan to kill Victim-4 until after the US Presidential election, as IRGC Official-I stated that Victim-4’s election He evaluated that he would lose and then said, “It would be easier to assassinate Victim-4,” the documents said.

“(Shakeri) was also assigned to spy on two Jewish American citizens residing in New York City and was offered $500,000 by an IRGC official for the murder of both victims. He was also assigned to target Israeli tourists in Sri Lanka,” the Justice Department said. ” added.

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Late Iranian Quds Force commander Qassem Soleimani (center) attends Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei’s meeting with the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps in Tehran, Iran, in September 2016. The Justice Department said on Friday: “According to the complaint and other press releases and filings, the Government of the Islamic Republic of Iran is actively targeting citizens of the United States and its allies living in countries around the world for attacks, including assault, kidnapping, and assault.” To suppress and silence dissidents who criticize the Iranian regime, as well as to avenge the death of Qasem Soleimani, then Commander of the Islamic Revolutionary Guards Quds Force, in a US drone strike in Baghdad in January 2020. for murder.” (Iranian Supreme Leader Press Office/Anadolu Agency/Getty Images)

Federal prosecutors also charged and arrested Carlisle Rivera, 49, of Brooklyn, New York; and Jonathon Loadholt, 36, of Staten Island, New York, “in connection with their alleged involvement in a conspiracy to murder a U.S. citizen of Iranian descent in New York.”

A law enforcement source briefed on the investigation told Fox News that the Iranian American Masih Alinejad.

“Upon Shakeri’s instructions, Loadholt and Rivera spent months spying on a US citizen of Iranian origin residing in the United States (Victim-1). Victim-1 is an outspoken critic of the Iranian regime and has previously been the target of many conspiracies. “Kidnapping and/or murder directed by the Government of Iran,” the Department of Justice said, “in exchange for Shakeri’s promise of $100,000, Rivera and Loadholt repeatedly tried to find Victim-1’s murder suspect.” worked.”

Prosecutors say that during their efforts to find and kill Alinejad, “Shakeri, Loadholt and Rivera exchanged messages about their progress and photos of their plans.

According to the Department of Justice, “For example, in or about February 2024, Rivera and Loadholt texted about a payment from Shakeri and then traveled to Fairfield University, where Victim-1 was scheduled to appear, and photographed on campus “They pulled it.” “Shakeri told Rivera in a voice memo that Victim-1 spent most of her time in certain parts of her home and told Rivera ‘you just have to be patient… You have to wait and be patient to catch her coming into the house or going out or seeing her.” “Don’t follow him anywhere and don’t think about going in. Going in is a suicide move.”

All three suspects currently face charges of murder for hire, conspiracy to commit murder for hire, and money laundering conspiracy, which carry a maximum sentence of 10 to 20 years in prison.

The alleged Iranian plot targeted President-elect Donald Trump in the weeks before the presidential election. (Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images)

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Shakeri is also charged with conspiracy to provide material support to a foreign terrorist organization, conspiracy to provide material support to a foreign terrorist organization, and conspiracy to violate the International Emergency Economic Powers Act and sanctions against the Government of Iran; each of these carries a maximum fine of 2,500 euros. According to prosecutors, 20 years in prison.