Secret Plot to Kill Activist in New York: Iranian Regime’s Shocking Assassination Attempt Exposed

The US Department of Justice has filed charges against Ruhollah Bazghandi, an Iranian brigadier general in the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC), accusing him of orchestrating a plot to assassinate an Iranian American dissident in New York. This plot is yet another instance of Iran’s attempt to silence its critics, regardless of where they are in the world.

The 2022 assassination plot targeted Masih Alinejad, a journalist and activist known for her outspoken criticism of Iran’s mandatory hijab laws and broader human rights abuses. The plot involved an elaborate murder-for-hire scheme in which Bazghandi allegedly contracted members of an Eastern European criminal group to carry out the assassination. The revelation of this scheme underscores the Iranian government’s growing use of international criminal networks to target dissidents abroad.

The plot against Alinejad reached a dangerous stage in July 2022, when one of the suspects, Khalid Mehdiyev, was arrested near Alinejad’s New York residence with a rifle. While Mehdiyev’s arrest prevented a potential tragedy, the charges against Bazghandi and three other Iranian citizens reveal the extent of the conspiracy.

This is not the first time Alinejad has been targeted by Iranian agents. In 2021, four Iranian intelligence officers were charged in the US with plotting to kidnap her. While Iran dismissed the accusations as “baseless,” the new charges indicate that the regime remains intent on silencing Alinejad’s voice, which has become a powerful force against the Iranian government’s oppressive policies.

Attorney General Merrick Garland issued a stern warning to the Iranian regime, stating that the US will not tolerate attempts by foreign governments to intimidate or harm American citizens, regardless of their nationality or political views. This case also raises serious concerns about Iran’s broader strategy of targeting dissidents across the globe.

As the US grapples with increasing tensions with Iran, particularly over its support for groups like Hamas, the charges against Bazghandi serve as a reminder of the dangers posed by authoritarian regimes to free speech and the safety of dissidents worldwide.