Pakistani National Asif Merchant Convicted in Federal Court for IRGC-Directed Assassination Plot Targeting President Donald Trump

Pakistani national Asif Merchant was found guilty of a state-sponsored plot to assassinate President Trump in retaliation for Qassem Soleimani’s death.

By: AXL Media

Published: Mar 7, 2026, 6:48 AM EST

Source: The information in this article was sourced from The Week News Desk

The Judicial Conclusion of a Transnational Terror Plot

In a federal courtroom in Brooklyn, the week-long trial of Asif Merchant concluded with a conviction that highlights the persistent threat of state-sponsored assassination on American soil. Merchant, a 46-year-old Pakistani national, was found guilty of orchestrating a murder-for-hire scheme aimed at President Donald Trump and other prominent political figures. The Department of Justice successfully argued that Merchant was a trained operative acting under the direct guidance of Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC), marking one of the most significant legal victories against foreign-directed political violence in recent years.

Retaliation for the Assassination of Qassem Soleimani

The evidence presented during the trial detailed a motive rooted in a 2020 geopolitical flashpoint: the U.S. drone strike that killed Quds Force commander Qassem Soleimani. Prosecutors from the DOJ asserted that Merchant’s handler in Tehran explicitly targeted President Trump as the primary architect of that strike. During his testimony, Merchant admitted to his involvement with the IRGC, claiming he agreed to facilitate the killings to protect his family currently residing in Iran. This "blood for blood" narrative underscored the Iranian regime's long-standing vow to seek extrajudicial vengeance against U.S. leadership.

Infiltration and the Role of Undercover Federal Agents

Merchant’s plot began to unravel shortly after his arrival in the United States from Pakistan in April 2024. After spending time in Iran for specialized training, he attempted to recruit individuals in New York whom he believed would assist in the physical execution of the hit. However, a key contact reported Merchant to federal authorities, leading to a sting operation involving undercover law enforcement officers posing as professional assassins. Merchant’s arrest in July 2024 occurred just as he was finalizing the logistical details and payments for the proposed strikes on Trump, Joe Biden, and Nikki Haley.