Chairman Green Issues Statement on DOJ Charges for Iran Backed Assassination Plot Against President Elect Donald Trump, Iranian American Dissident

WASHINGTON, D.C. -- Today, House Committee on Homeland Security Chairman Mark E. Green, MD (R-TN) issued the following statement after the Department of Justice (DOJ) announced charges against Farhad Shakeri, an Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) asset living in Tehran, and two Americans in New York, Carlisle Rivera and Jonathon Loadholt. Their assassination plots included President-elect Donald Trump and Iranian-American dissident, journalist, and human rights activist Masih Alinejad:
"Iran continues to undermine our sovereignty through acts of transnational repression, terror plots, and assassination attempts on U.S. soil against former and current U.S. government officials, such as President-elect Donald Trump, members of the national security community, American citizens, and dissidents like Masih Alinejad. The fact that the IRGC sponsored a plot to kill a former and now incoming president demonstrates Tehran's dedication to undermining our democratic process and disrupting any effort to deter its malign influence on the world stage.

"While these charges are a positive step and expose Tehran's brazen activities, I am extremely concerned about Iran's persistent aggression in the wake of the October 7 terrorist attacks on our ally Israel, as well as cyber intrusions into the Trump campaign networks. Today's enforcement actions must be swiftly followed by stronger deterrence of America's enemies. The Committee will continue conducting oversight of these efforts and grave threats against U.S. officials, as well as working to protect American citizens and dissidents of authoritarian regimes who continue to be targeted on U.S. soil."
Background:

In an October 2023 hearing, Masih Alinejad provided harrowing testimony of the human rights abuses perpetrated by the Iranian regime and the growing threat to the homeland from the regime's proxies. This testimony informed the Committee's work to craft and advance bipartisan legislation to ensure a whole-of-government response to acts of transnational repression on U.S. soil.

In August 2024, Chairman Green and Subcommittee on Counterterrorism, Law Enforcement, and Intelligence Chairman August Pfluger (R-TX) sent a letter to Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) Director Christopher Wray requesting information about the arrest and charging of Asif Merchant, a Pakistani national with close ties to Iran, regarding a failed assassination plot by Merchant on U.S. soil.

In October 2023, Chairmen Green and Pfluger were joined by Chairman of the Subcommittee on Border Security and Enforcement Clay Higgins (R-LA) in demanding documents and information from Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas after an internal document was leaked warning Customs and Border Protection (CBP) personnel that Iran-backed terrorists could be inspired by the October 7 terrorist attacks to illegally cross our Southwest border.

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