US says Iran will face consequences after dissident plot verdict

A US jury’s conviction of two men for attempting to assassinate Iranian journalist Masih Alinejad in New York on orders from Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) has prompted reactions from senior US officials.

“Iran's front groups and proxies trying to operate in the US will be investigated, disrupted, and prosecuted,” Secretary of State Marco Rubio said Friday in a post on X, following the jury's decision.

He added that the ruling showed “Iran's attempts at lethal plotting against Americans like @AlinejadMasih will be met with swift justice & accountability.”

The men convicted—Rafat Amirov, from Iran, and Polad Omarov, a Georgian citizen—were found guilty on five charges including conspiracy to commit murder-for-hire and attempted murder in aid of racketeering. Prosecutors said the plot was directed by senior IRGC officials and executed through an Eastern European crime syndicate.

Masih Alinejad, the target of the operation, responded online shortly after the ruling. “Thank you @SecRubio, for supporting me and standing up to the Islamic Republic’s acts of terror on US soil,” she wrote.

“For years, the regime in Iran has targeted Americans and spread terror,” she wrote. “Yet the previous administration failed to hold them accountable. Instead of enforcing sanctions, they handed over billions of dollars.” She said the Iranian leadership views dissent as a threat and called for tougher action. “The Islamic Republic only understands one thing: pressure. It’s time to use strength and resolve to make them pay for their actions.”

According to the Justice Department, Amirov obtained targeting details from the IRGC and passed them to Omarov, who then worked with Khalid Mehdiyev, an operative based in Yonkers, New York. Mehdiyev conducted surveillance outside Alinejad’s home and sent videos to Omarov indicating readiness to carry out the assassination.

Mehdiyev was arrested in July 2022 after police pulled him over and found an AK-47-style rifle, ammunition, and a ski mask in his car. Authorities said Omarov later threatened Mehdiyev’s family, warning they would be killed if she did not locate him.

“This verdict underscores the Department’s commitment to finding and holding accountable those who threaten our citizens and our freedoms,” said Sue J. Bai, who leads the Justice Department’s National Security Division.

The FBI’s Counterintelligence Division and its Iran Threat Task Force led the investigation with support from the NYPD and Czech authorities. The Justice Department said Alinejad has previously been the target of IRGC-backed plots to kidnap or kill her for her activism, which includes highlighting Iran’s human rights record and advocating against compulsory hijab laws.