Two leaders of a Russian criminal organization have been sentenced to 25 years in prison for plotting to assassinate Iranian-American journalist Masih Alinejad on American soil, a brazen murder-for-hire scheme orchestrated by the Iranian government that included surveillance, weapons procurement, and threats spanning three continents.
The defendants, Rafat Amirov and Polad Omarov, were found guilty in March following a two-week trial in which prosecutors revealed the Iranian Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) had paid $500,000 to eliminate Alinejad, a prominent critic of Tehran’s human rights abuses and its treatment of women. The sentencing handed down by U.S. District Judge Colleen McMahon fell short of the 55 years prosecutors had requested but still represented one of the most severe punishments for an Iran-backed assassination plot on U.S. territory.
From Kidnapping to Murder Plot
Court documents revealed a chilling escalation in Iran’s efforts to silence Alinejad. After failed kidnapping attempts in 2020 and 2021, Iranian officials turned to the Russian criminal network to carry out the assassination. “The defendants and their criminal associates came chillingly close to gunning down an Iranian-American journalist on the streets of New York,” federal prosecutors noted in court filings.
The plot involved extensive surveillance of Alinejad’s Brooklyn home. In July 2022, a third conspirator, Khalid Mehdiyev, was dispatched to her residence with an AK-47 style assault rifle, two magazines, and 66 rounds of ammunition. A routine traffic stop led to his arrest and the discovery of the weapons, along with approximately $1,100 in cash, gloves, and a black ski mask – effectively thwarting what authorities believe was an imminent assassination attempt.
What happened next underscored the ruthless nature of the operation. After Mehdiyev’s arrest, Omarov threatened to kill the gunman’s mother and brother if they couldn’t locate him, partly because “the IRGC was demanding the return of its money,” according to court documents.
A Global Network
U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of New York Jay Clayton emphasized the international dimensions of the case. “The Government of Iran, a sponsor of terrorism, assassination, and espionage around the globe, brazenly brought its efforts to murder Masih Alinejad to New York,” Clayton stated. “Yesterday’s sentences send a clear message: the DOJ and our partners will expose and severely punish those who target U.S. citizens and bring terror to our community.”
The investigation revealed a sophisticated operation linking Iranian intelligence to Russian organized crime figures. Amirov, who received the targeting information directly from Iranian officials, passed details including Alinejad’s home address to Omarov, who then coordinated with other members of their criminal network to plan the killing.
Why would Russian criminals become hitmen for the Iranian regime? Money, primarily. The $500,000 payment represented a significant incentive, though the arrest of their gunman disrupted both the plot and their payday.
A Voice That Wouldn’t Be Silenced
Alinejad, an author and Voice of America contributor, has long been a thorn in the side of the Iranian regime. Her outspoken criticism of Iran’s human rights record and particularly its treatment of women has made her a target. FBI Assistant Director in Charge Christopher G. Raia confirmed that the defendants “operated as unlawful enforcers for a foreign government to target an American journalist on our nation’s soil” specifically because of her activism.
The journalist was fortunately away from her home when surveillance footage revealed suspicious activity near her residence – a circumstance that may have saved her life, according to investigators. She attended the sentencing to deliver a victim impact statement.
Assistant Attorney General for National Security John A. Eisenberg emphasized the broader implications of the case: “We are committed to holding accountable those who join forces with this vile regime to violate our national sovereignty or threaten U.S. citizens.”
The case represents one of the most direct attempts by Iran to silence critics abroad, but it’s hardly isolated. Tehran has a documented history of targeting dissidents globally, though few plots have advanced as far as having an armed gunman positioned outside a target’s home on American soil.
For journalists and activists who speak out against authoritarian regimes, the case serves as both a sobering reminder of the risks they face and evidence that U.S. authorities take such threats with deadly seriousness. As Alinejad continues her work despite repeated threats to her life, the 25-year sentences for those who plotted her murder send a message that may deter future assassins – but likely won’t stop the Iranian regime from trying to silence its critics by any means necessary.
