Pakistani Man Convicted in Iran-Linked Plot
Analysis based on 11 articles · First reported Mar 06, 2026 · Last updated Mar 07, 2026
The conviction of Asif Raza Merchant for an Iran-linked assassination plot against US officials, including Donald Trump, could heighten geopolitical tensions between the United States and Iran. This event may lead to increased market volatility in sectors sensitive to international relations and defense, as well as potentially impacting the perceived stability of the US political landscape.
Asif Raza Merchant, a 47-year-old Pakistani national with alleged ties to the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) of Iran, has been convicted by a US federal jury in Brooklyn for plotting to assassinate senior American politicians. The targets included former President Donald Trump, former President Joe Biden, and former UN Ambassador Nikki Haley. The plot, allegedly directed by Iran, was intended as retaliation for the 2020 US drone strike that killed Iranian general Qasem Soleimani. Merchant traveled to the United States in April 2024 after spending time in Iran and attempted to hire a hitman in New York. Unbeknownst to him, the individuals he contacted were undercover US law enforcement officers. He paid a $5,000 advance for the assassination and was arrested in July 2024 before he could leave the country. During the trial, Merchant admitted to being sent by the IRGC to organize political assassinations but claimed he was coerced due to threats against his family in Iran and never intended for the killings to occur. He faces life imprisonment.
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