Iran rejects claims of plot to assassinate Trump, other US officials as 'unfounded'

TEHRAN, Iran

Iran has categorically dismissed allegations of involvement in a plot to assassinate former and current US officials, including President-elect Donald Trump, calling the claims "completely unfounded."

In a statement on Saturday, Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesperson Esmail Baghaei rejected accusations made by the US Department of Justice after the arrest of a suspect.

Baghaei referenced previous "similar accusations" denied by Iran, which he described as a "repulsive conspiracy" orchestrated by Israel and anti-Iranian factions "to further complicate matters between the US and Iran."

The US Department of Justice has filed criminal charges against a man, claiming he was tasked by Iran with "surveilling and plotting to assassinate former and current US government officials, including Trump."

According to the indictment, the man, a 51-year-old Afghan national named Farhad Shaker, allegedly sought to assassinate Trump before the US presidential election on orders from Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC).

Baghaei denied the allegations, affirming that Iran would use "all legitimate and legal means, both domestically and internationally, to defend the rights of the Iranian nation."

The statement follows Trump's recent election as US president, sparking concerns that his close ties with Israel may further strain relations between Tehran and Washington.

Trump, who served as president from 2017 to 2021, was known for a confrontational stance toward Iran, particularly after his administration withdrew unilaterally from the Iran nuclear deal in 2018.

The assassination of Iran’s top military commander, Gen. Qassem Soleimani, in January 2020 nearly brought the two nations to the brink of direct military conflict.

Earlier this week, Iran's government spokeswoman downplayed the significance of the US election outcome, stating that it “does not matter” who becomes president.

Speaking to reporters in Tehran on Wednesday following a weekly Cabinet meeting, Fatemeh Mohajerani confirmed that Iran’s overall policies remain unchanged.