The US is offering a $20 million reward for information leading to the arrest of an Iranian man accused of plotting to kill John Bolton, who was a National Security Advisor under Donald Trump. The suspect, Shahram Poursafi, is linked to Iran’s Islamic Revolution Guard Corps (IRGC) and allegedly tried to pay $300,000 to hire hitmen in the US to carry out the assassination.
This announcement coincides with Trump revealing that US intelligence had briefed him about an alleged Iranian plot against him. Iran has denied any involvement in assassination plots against US officials.
Poursafi reportedly tried to recruit criminals in the US from October 2021 to April 2022, with a specific focus on killing Bolton in Washington, D.C., or Maryland. He even hinted to one potential assassin that there could be another job for them after the Bolton hit. Officials say his motivation for this plot was revenge for the US killing Iranian General Qasem Soleimani, an action ordered by Trump.
Despite being charged in 2022, Poursafi remains at large, and officials believe he is not currently in the US. Iranian Vice-President Mohammad Javad Zarif has rejected claims of assassination attempts, while Bolton argues that the US should take Iranian threats seriously, saying they reflect an attack on the US government.
Recently, Trump claimed there are ongoing threats against his life from Iran and mentioned that prior attempts had failed but suggested that more could come.
Meanwhile, the FBI and US intelligence agencies accused Iranian hackers of trying to undermine confidence in US institutions by stealing and distributing information about Trump’s campaign.
This situation highlights the increasing tensions between the US and Iran and raises questions about security for officials both past and present.
The information comes from a report by the BBC, which emphasizes the urgent nature of these threats in the current geopolitical climate.
Credit : BBC
https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/c78d7x08j7eo