Two men, Rafat Amirov and Polad Omarov, have been convicted of murder-for-hire as part of an Iranian government plot to silence journalist Masih Alinejad in the United States. Alinejad, critical of Iran’s treatment of women and human rights, responded to the verdict by stating that the regime is being held accountable for its terror campaign on U.S. soil. The men were convicted of various charges including murder-for-hire and conspiracy to commit money laundering. The indictment states that high-ranking members of the Revolutionary Guard tasked the men to find and kill Alinejad for $500,000. This assignment came after a failed attempt to kidnap the journalist in 2021. The pair subcontracted the job to another member of their crime group, Khalid Mehdiyev, who was arrested with an AK-47 replica and ammunition near Alinejad’s home.
Iran has denied the allegations, calling them baseless. Alinejad, who was banished from Iran in 2009 for her coverage of corrupt politicians, encourages women in the country to post photos without their government-required hijabs. The men face a possible life sentence at their sentencing on September 27. President Donald Trump recently ordered Voice of America, where Alinejad is affiliated, to cut operations to a minimum under the law. The FBI stated that they will not tolerate Iran’s attempts to threaten or harm American citizens. Secretary of State Marco Rubio welcomed the convictions, stating that Iran’s lethal plotting against Americans will be met with swift justice and accountability.
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