Two Convicted in Iran-Backed Plot to Assassinate U.S.-Based Journalist

Eastern European crime leaders were found guilty of orchestrating a failed murder-for-hire scheme targeting Masih Alinejad, a prominent critic of the Iranian regime.

Rafat Amirov and Polad Omarov were convicted of murder-for-hire and related charges in a plot to kill Iranian-American journalist Masih Alinejad in Brooklyn, New York.
The Iranian Revolutionary Guard Corps paid $500,000 to facilitate the assassination, highlighting the regime's efforts to silence critics abroad.
The FBI disrupted the plot in July 2022, arresting Khalid Mehdiyev, the hired hitman, near Alinejad's home with an assault rifle and ammunition.
Alinejad has faced multiple assassination and kidnapping attempts due to her outspoken criticism of Iran's human rights abuses and compulsory hijab laws.
Both convicted men face potential life imprisonment, with sentencing scheduled for September 17, 2025, while Alinejad calls for accountability for the Iranian officials behind the plot.

U.S. Department of Justice

New York Post