Federal prosecutors charged Iranian Revolutionary Guard official Ruhollah Bazghandi in connection with a foiled assassination plot against journalist Masih Alinejad in New York City. Three others were implicated as well, and the plot highlights ongoing tensions between Iranian dissidents and the regime.
In a significant legal development, federal prosecutors have unveiled charges against Ruhollah Bazghandi, an official of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, for allegedly orchestrating a plot to assassinate Iranian journalist Masih Alinejad in New York. Despite being based in Iran and outside U.S. law enforcement’s reach, Bazghandi’s involvement in the intended murder attempt has been criminally charged. Alongside him, three additional men face charges related to this assassination scheme. Masih Alinejad, a prominent Iranian opposition activist, confirmed to the Associated Press that she was the target of the 2022 assassination plot, although her identity is left undisclosed in court documents. Alinejad has lived in exile in New York City since escaping Iran due to the controversial 2009 presidential election. At the time of the assassination attempt, she resided in Brooklyn, though for her safety, she has since relocated. Court documents describe Bazghandi as a brigadier general with a history as head of the Revolutionary Guard’s counterintelligence division. The U.S. Treasury’s Office of Foreign Assets Control labeled the Revolutionary Guard a global terrorist organization in 2017, highlighting its role in international terrorism. More recently, in April 2023, Bazghandi was implicated in various assassination plots and illegal acts against perceived enemies of Iran. The thwarted plot against Alinejad, which led to federal murder-for-hire charges, marks the first formal link between a high-ranking Revolutionary Guard official and the assassination attempt. The intriguing details surrounding the plot and its subsequent legal actions raise concerns about global implications regarding Iran’s influence and reach.
The threat emanating from Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps has long been a point of concern internationally, particularly due to their designation as a global terrorist entity by the U.S. This development unfolds against the backdrop of heightened tensions between Iranian dissidents in exile and the Iranian state, particularly as notable activists like Masih Alinejad bravely vocalize opposition to the regime. These charges, involving a foiled assassination plot on Alinejad, further illustrate the lengths to which the Iranian government may go to silence dissent and maintain control over opposition figures.
In this stark case, the U.S. authorities have acted decisively against plots to silence dissent from within Iran, underscoring a commitment to protect activists abroad. The unraveling of this assassination plot shines a light on the International implications of Iran’s Revolutionary Guard Corps and their pursuit of ideological opponents. As Alinejad continues her courageous stand from a secure location, the spotlight remains on the global community’s role in seeking justice and safeguarding human rights.
Original Source: abc7ny.com
