Iran Denies Allegations of Plot to Assassinate U.S. Officials, Labels Claims “Unfounded”

Iran has forcefully denied recent allegations by the U.S. Department of Justice, which implicated the Iranian government in an alleged plot to assassinate former and current American officials, including President-elect Donald Trump. On Saturday, Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesperson Esmail Baghaei called the claims “completely unfounded,” asserting that they are part of a “repulsive conspiracy” intended to worsen U.S.-Iran relations.

The accusations surfaced following the arrest of a 51-year-old Afghan national, Farhad Shaker, who is accused of being affiliated with Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC). The U.S. Department of Justice alleges that Shaker was tasked with surveilling and targeting officials as part of a plot, which reportedly included the assassination of Trump prior to the U.S. presidential election. These claims, according to the indictment, suggest that the IRGC directed Shaker’s actions.

In response, Baghaei dismissed the charges as a “coordinated plot” orchestrated by Israel and anti-Iranian elements within the U.S., intended to stoke tension and create obstacles to any diplomatic progress. He reaffirmed Iran’s commitment to defending its interests, stating that the Iranian government would “employ all legitimate and legal means, both domestically and internationally, to defend the rights of the Iranian nation.”

The accusations come shortly after Trump’s election victory, raising concerns over renewed friction between Washington and Tehran, especially given Trump’s historically hardline stance on Iran. His previous term saw a significant downturn in U.S.-Iran relations, marked by Trump’s 2018 withdrawal from the Iran nuclear deal and the 2020 U.S. airstrike that killed top Iranian general Qassem Soleimani. That event escalated tensions to near conflict, prompting a series of retaliatory actions and concerns over further destabilization.

Adding to these complexities, earlier in the week, Iran’s government spokeswoman Fatemeh Mohajerani commented on the U.S. election outcome, stating that the identity of the American president “does not matter” to Iran, as the country’s policies toward the U.S. would remain unchanged. Mohajerani’s remarks reflect Iran’s stance that its policies are unaffected by American political transitions, a message Tehran has often maintained amid fluctuating U.S.-Iran relations.

The U.S. Justice Department has not commented further on the specifics of the case or any anticipated legal proceedings, and it remains to be seen how these developments may impact diplomatic efforts between the two nations. The allegations mark another chapter in the strained relationship between the U.S. and Iran, as both countries grapple with an array of complex and high-stakes political dynamics.