justice
Bolton assassination plot: Iranians charged in US
Former National Security Advisor to former US President Donald Trump: John Bolton. photo
© Patrick Semansky/AP/dpa
An Iranian is said to have plotted to assassinate former US National Security Advisor Bolton. Charges have now been filed in the United States. Bolton raises serious allegations against those in power in Tehran.
A member of the Iranian Revolutionary Guard has been charged in the United States with a plot to assassinate former US President Donald Trump’s security adviser, John Bolton.
The 45-year-old man from Tehran is accused of ordering an assassination and promising a $300,000 reward, the Justice Department said in Washington on Wednesday. According to the ministry, he is at large abroad. The ministry did not provide any further details on the whereabouts.
Prosecutors believe the plan was in retaliation for an attack in January 2020 that killed Iranian general Qassem Soleimani. Nothing is known about an attack on Bolton, who is now 73 years old. The longtime diplomat, who was considered a hardliner, was a White House National Security Advisor in 2018 and 2019. He then resigned in a dispute with Trump.
“The Iranian rulers are liars”
“This is not the first time we have uncovered Iranian revenge plots against people on American soil, and we will work tirelessly to uncover and thwart each and every one of these attempts,” said Deputy Attorney General Matthew Olsen. If the Iranian is caught and convicted, he faces up to 10 years in prison for the plans and a further 15 years for the promised payment. According to the ministry, the assassination plot originated in autumn 2021.
Bolton thanked the Justice Department and the FBI. A statement said: “The Iranian rulers are liars, terrorists and enemies of the United States. Their radical, anti-American goals remain unchanged; their pledges are worthless.” Iran is increasingly becoming a global threat. Bolton has vehemently opposed reviving the Iran nuclear deal. US President Joe Biden is aiming for that. Trump had unilaterally terminated the agreement.
Biden’s national security adviser Jake Sullivan warned, “Should Iran attack any of our citizens, including those who continue to serve or have previously served the United States, Iran will face serious consequences.”