Asif Merchant, a 47-year-old Pakistani national, told a Brooklyn federal jury on 4 March 2026 that he was 'forced' by Iranian intelligence into a murder-for-hire plot targeting high-level US officials.
During his second day of testimony, the former banker insisted that his involvement in the scheme to assassinate Donald Trump, Joe Biden, and Nikki Haley was a desperate attempt to protect his family in Tehran from the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC). Merchant is facing life in prison on charges of attempted terrorism and murder-for-hire following a 2024 FBI sting operation.
While Merchant admitted to handing $5,000 in cash to undercover agents he believed were hitmen, he claimed he was 'mentally ready' to be caught, hoping the FBI would intervene before any violence occurred. Those individuals, however, turned out to be undercover FBI agents working as part of a sting operation.
Merchant has pleaded not guilty and insists he never wanted the killings to happen. Instead, he told jurors he went along with the plan because Iranian intelligence operatives threatened his relatives and left him fearing for their safety.
The trial is unfolding against the backdrop of active US-Israeli military operations in Iran, which have recently targeted the very IRGC leadership that Merchant claims orchestrated his recruitment.
US prosecutors allege that Merchant was acting on behalf of individuals connected toIran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps. According to reports, the suspected plot was part of a bigger attempt to target American political figures following the 2020 US drone strike that killedIranian General Qassem Soleimani. Iranian officials had previously vowed revenge for the killing, and US authorities have warned about potential retaliation plots against American leaders.
During the trial, Merchantreportedlytestified that an Iranian handler mentioned several potential targets during discussions. These allegedly included Donald Trump, Joe Biden, and former US presidential candidate Nikki Haley. At the time the alleged plot was being discussed, Trump and Biden were key figures in American politics and potential rivals in the 2024 presidential election.
Prosecutors say Merchant travelled to the United States in 2024 and began searching for individuals willing to carry out the killings. According to reports, he eventually contacted two men he believed were contract killers. Unbeknownst to him, both were undercover FBI agents participating in a sting operation designed to uncover the alleged conspiracy.
Investigators claim Merchant handed the men $5,000 in cash as an initial payment for the assassination plan. During meetings, he allegedly discussed possible methods for carrying out the attack, including the possibility of targeting a political rally or public appearance. Authorities say he also attempted to identify suitable locations and opportunities to carry out the attack.
The scheme was eventually foiled before any violence occurred. Merchant was arrested in July 2024 after months of surveillance and recorded conversations with the undercover agents. If convicted on the charges of terrorism and murder-for-hire, he could face a life sentence in prison.
Source: International Business Times UK
