A high-stakes trial in Washington revealed startling new testimony from Asif Merchant, a Pakistani national accused of orchestrating a plot to assassinate Donald Trump. Merchant told jurors on Wednesday that he did not willingly collaborate with Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC), claiming he was forced into the scheme to protect his family living in Tehran. The Justice Department alleges that Merchant attempted to recruit operatives in the United States to target Trump and other high-profile politicians, including Joe Biden and Nikki Haley, as retaliation for the 2020 killing of General Qassem Soleimani.
Pakistani man claims Iran ‘forced him’ into plot to kill Trump https://t.co/xOnrNX3Zb7
— Dawn.com (@dawn_com) March 6, 2026
Prosecutors have firmly rejected Merchant’s “duress” defense, stating there is a total lack of evidentiary support for his claims of coercion. According to reports from The New York Times, Merchant testified that while his Iranian handlers never issued a specific written order, they identified three key targets during meetings in the Iranian capital. This trial has taken on immense geopolitical significance, as it coincides with the ongoing “Operation Epic Fury,” the joint U.S.-Israeli military campaign that recently killed Iran’s Supreme Leader.
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President Trump cited this specific assassination plot during a recent interview, justifying the strikes on Iran by stating, “I got him before he got me.” While Tehran continues to deny any involvement in plots against U.S. officials, the testimony in Merchant’s trial has further fueled the administration’s narrative for regime change. As the legal proceedings continue, the case remains a central point of contention in the rapidly escalating global conflict.
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