In a significant national security development, the Justice Department unveiled on Friday an Iranian-backed plot to assassinate Donald Trump, the Republican president-elect. Farhad Shakeri, an alleged asset of the Iranian government, was charged after disclosing details of the assassination scheme, which he claimed was orchestrated by an official in Iran’s paramilitary Revolutionary Guard. According to an unsealed criminal complaint, Shakeri was instructed in September to put aside other activities and devise a plan within a week to surveil and ultimately kill Trump.

Shakeri, who has prior convictions in the U.S. and ties to criminal networks reportedly leveraged by Tehran, relayed to investigators that his contact in Iran said, “We have already spent a lot of money,” emphasizing that financing was not a barrier. If Shakeri failed to create a plan within the seven-day timeframe, the official suggested pausing the plot until after the election, assuming that Trump would lose and become an easier target.

Shakeri remains at large in Iran. Meanwhile, two other individuals allegedly recruited by him were arrested on charges related to a separate plot to assassinate Iranian-American journalist Masih Alinejad, who has faced multiple threats from Tehran. Alinejad, speaking from Berlin, expressed shock, noting, “This is the third attempt against me, and that’s shocking.”

Alinejad, known for her outspoken stance against Iran’s regime, posted on X: “I came to America to practice my First Amendment right to freedom of speech — I don’t want to die. I want to fight against tyranny, and I deserve to be safe.” She thanked U.S. law enforcement for their protection but urged the government to enhance national security measures.

The FBI’s disruption of this plot underscores continued threats from Iran, highlighting the Revolutionary Guard’s enduring efforts to target U.S. officials and dissenters abroad.