Iran says conspiracy allegations against Trump are “baseless” – DW – 11/09/2024

The Iranian government assured on Saturday (11/09/2024) that US allegations that the country is involved in a plot to assassinate President-elect Donald Trump are “completely baseless”.

Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesman Ismail Baghai said in a statement carried by Iranian media that the statement was a response to “repulsive” actions by Israel and the Iranian opposition outside the country to “complicate things between the United States and Iran.” .

“Foreign Ministry spokesman, Ismail Baghai, considers completely unfounded the allegations that Iran engaged in assassination attempts against former and current US officials,” the official text said.

US Justice Department accused IRGC

The US Justice Department revealed the allegations a day before an alleged Iranian plot to assassinate Trump ahead of last Tuesday’s presidential elections.

According to the indictment, he allegedly directed a foiled assassination plot by Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) to avenge the death of Iranian General Qassem Soleimani, who was killed in a 2020 US strike in Iraq on the orders of then-President Trump. Had gone.

The Islamic Guard assigned Farhad Shakeri, 51, who is believed to be in Iran, with the plan to kill Trump on October 7, it said in a statement.

FBI Director Christopher Wray says, “The charges announced today highlight Iran’s continued brazen efforts to target American citizens, including President-elect Donald Trump, other government leaders, and dissidents who criticize the regime in Tehran.”

The Justice Department described Shakeri as an “IRGC asset residing in Tehran”. He says he immigrated to the United States as a child and was deported around 2008 after serving 14 years in prison for robbery.

GS (AFP, Reuters)