World · 7 March 2026
Asif Merchant guilty of plot to kill US officials
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A federal jury has convicted 47-year-old Asif Merchant for orchestrating a state-sponsored assassination plot on American soil. Acting under IRGC direction to avenge Qasem Soleimani, Merchant attempted to recruit New York hitmen to target high-ranking figures, including Donald Trump and Joe Biden. The conspiracy was intercepted by the FBI before any attempts were launched. Merchant now faces a potential life sentence for his role in the Iranian-backed "murder-for-hire" scheme.
Reported by BBC · How we write briefs