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On Wednesday, August 10, 2022, the Department of Justice stated that a member of Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps was charged for involvement in a malicious plot against John Bolton's life. Bolton, the national security advisor under Trump's administration, took to social media to thank the Justice Department for its prompt actions against Shahram Poursafi.
In an affidavit submitted in support of a criminal complaint against Shahram Poursafi, a.k.a. 'Mehdi Rezay,' it was alleged that he violated several federal criminal laws:
"This affidavit is being submitted in support of a criminal complaint alleging that SHAHRAM POURSAFI, a/k/a "Mehdi Rezayi" (hereinafter referred to as "POURSAFI"), violated the following federal criminal laws: (l ) I8 U.S.C. 195 8(a) (Use of interstate commerce facilities in the commission of murder for hire), and (2) 18 U.S.C. 2339A (Providing and attempting to provide material support to a transnational murder plot)."
The indictment connected Poursafi's plot against John Bolton to the assassination of the former commander of Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps - Qods Force, Qasem Soleimani, in January 2020. The former commander was killed in an airstrike by the U.S. According to the criminal complaint, Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi had publicly vowed revenge against Trump and other high officials if they refused to face trial.
"On or about January 3, 2022, Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi gave a public address in which he stated that former President Trump and other former high-ranking officials in the Trump Administration needed to face trial for the air strike targeting Qassem Soleimani. Raisi vowed that the "fist of revenge would extend from the sleeve of the Islamic ummah" if those responsible did not face trial."
Poursafi remains at large beyond national borders and is wanted by the FBI.
Who is Shahram Poursafi? Tehran national wanted for plotting against John Bolton
The death of Qasem Soleimani in January 2020 at the hands of a U.S. airstrike had led to several declarations of revenge made by both the Iranian President and the present commander of the IRGC-QF. According to the criminal complaint submitted against Shahram Poursafi, the commander of the IRGC-QF, Esmail Ghani, had publicly claimed that:
"We will prepare ground for the hard revenge against the U.S. from within their homes, as we do not need to be present as supervisors everywhere, wherever is necessary we take revenge against Americans by the help of people on their side and within their own homes without our presence."
Poursafi, a 45-year-old Iranian with no record of stepping on American soil, is accused of attempting to pay $300,000 to people in the U.S. for the murder of John Bolton. The affidavit provides even further information regarding the ploy:
"Beginning at least in or around October 2021 and continuing to at least in or around April 2022, POURSAFI used and caused others to use the facilities of interstate commerce and caused others to travel in interstate commerce, to arrange for and with the intent to murder former National Security Advisor John Bolton."
The FBI identified Poursafi as a member of the IRGC through photos and determined that the group tasked him to hire people based in the U.S. to murder John Bolton.
