Pakistani man claims Iran coerced him to kill Trump, Biden
What's the story
A Pakistani national, Asif Merchant, has claimed that he was coerced by Iranian intelligence agents to plot the assassination of current United States President Donald Trump and former President Joe Biden. Merchant made the allegations during his trial in a Brooklyn federal court on Wednesday. The 47-year-old defendant is facing charges of terrorism and murder-for-hire in connection with the alleged plot.
Coercion claims
Merchant's claims during trial
Merchant testified that he was under pressure from his Iranian handler, Mehrdad Yousef of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC). He said Yousef threatened his family members living in Iran. "I had no other options. My family was threatened," Merchant told the jury. The defendant also claimed that he was involved in helping Iran evade sanctions through money laundering.
Payment details
Assassination plot targets named by Iranian handler
According to the New York Post, Merchant was allegedly instructed by his Iranian handler in April 2024 to come to the US for an assassination. The handler named three targets: Trump, Biden and Nikki Haley. At the time of this instruction, Trump and Biden were both leading candidates in the 2024 presidential race. Merchant allegedly paid two undercover FBI agents posing as assassins $5,000 for this plot.
Defense argument
Defense and prosecution's stance
Merchant's defense argued that he was not willing to work with the IRGC and acted under pressure to protect his family. While Merchant did not reveal specific threats against his wife and child, he claimed that Yousef had allegedly entered his home and displayed a firearm at one point. He further argued that the $5,000 payout highlighted the scheme's impractical nature, claiming that no one would commit a murder for such a low sum.
Trial timing
Trial comes amid US-Iran tensions
Merchant also testified that he anticipated being apprehended and intended to cooperate with US authorities. He claimed he planned to notify the government and seek a green card. However, prosecutors have rejected this claim, citing a "lack of evidentiary support for true duress or coercion." In an interview with ABC News last week, Trump cited an alleged Iranian ​plot when speaking about the joint US-Israeli operation against Iran, saying, "I got him before he got me."