Two men, Rafat Amirov and Polad Omarov, were convicted of murder-for-hire as part of an Iranian government plot to silence journalist Masih Alinejad in the United States. Alinejad, affiliated with Voice of America, had been critical of Iran’s treatment of women and human rights. The men were convicted of multiple charges including murder-for-hire, conspiracy, and money laundering. A failed attempt to kidnap Alinejad in 2021 led to this murder plot.
A third man, Khalid Mehdiyev, who was subcontracted for the hit, was arrested in a traffic stop with an assault rifle and ammunition near Alinejad’s home. He had been under FBI surveillance. Alinejad welcomed the convictions as a form of accountability for the Iranian regime’s campaign of terror. The Iranian government has denied the allegations.
Amirov and Omarov face the possibility of life in prison at their September sentencing. Alinejad, who came to the U.S. after being banished from Iran, has been an advocate for women’s rights and democracy. President Donald Trump recently ordered Voice of America to cut operations to the bare minimum under law. The FBI, Secretary of State Marco Rubio, and Alinejad herself have all condemned the Iranian plot and supported the swift justice served in the convictions. The case highlights the ongoing threats faced by Iranian dissidents and critics, even on American soil.
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