U.S. Charges IRGC Official in Iranian-American Journalist Plot

The U.S. has brought new charges related to an Iranian plot against an Iranian-American journalist in New York. An IRGC official, among others, has been indicted. Previously, suspects were charged, including one found with a rifle outside the victim's home. The official was a former counterintelligence chief.

The United States has unveiled new charges concerning an attempted plot by Iran to kidnap and assassinate an Iranian-American journalist residing in New York. Among those indicted is an official from the Iranian Revolutionary Guards Corps (IRGC), as stated in a recent court document.

U.S. authorities have previously charged several suspects linked to the case, including individuals detained in 2022 and early 2023. While the latest court filing remains confidential about the supposed victim's identity, previous data reveals that one suspect was apprehended near journalist and activist Masih Alinejad's home.

The IRGC official charged, Ruhollah Bazghandi, once headed the corps' counterintelligence and was already under U.S. Treasury sanctions. His and his collaborators' internet footprints suggest involvement in multiple assassination plots, as detailed in the unsealed indictment.

(With inputs from agencies.)