By Omar | 2025-03-25

The Islamic Republic's campaign to silence dissent was brought into the light March 20 as a US court convicted two men for plotting to assassinate US-Iranian journalist Masih Alinejad.

Rafat Amirov and Polad Omarov were found guilty in Manhattan Federal Court of multiple charges including murder for hire, attempted murder in aid of racketeering, and conspiracy to launder money, the New York Times reported.

The plot was orchestrated by a network in Iran that included Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) Brig. Gen. Ruhollah Bazghandi, prosecutors said.

"The Iranian regime spent years attempting to harass, smear, intimidate and even kidnap Ms. Alinejad," prosecutor Michael Lockard told jurors.

"When those efforts failed, the government of Iran put a $500,000 bounty on her head, blood money that Mr. Amirov and Mr. Omarov were all too eager to claim."

The assassination plot unraveled when Khalid Mehdiyev was arrested in July 2022 with an AK-47-style assault rifle near Alinejad's residence.

During the trial, Mehdiyev testified that Omarov had promised him $160,000 for the killing.

State-sponsored terrorism

The conviction comes as a founding IRGC commander, Mohsen Rafiqdoost, admitted in a March 8 interview with Didaban-e-Iran to overseeing assassinations of several high-profile regime opponents.

Among them was former Prime Minister Shapour Bakhtiar.

Since its 1979 rise to power, the Islamic Republic has conducted operations in more than 40 countries, carrying out approximately 360 targeted killings and mass bombing attacks, according to a 2020 US State Department fact sheet.

The regime's recent targets include Iran International TV journalist Pouria Zeraati, attacked in London last year, and regime critic Masoud Molavi, assassinated by an Iranian consulate employee in Istanbul in 2019.

"I am relieved that after nearly three years, the men who plotted to kill me have been found guilty," Alinejad said in a statement. "But make no mistake, the real masterminds of this crime are still in power in Iran."

Iranian human rights activists and citizens who spoke with Pishtaz denounced the regime's domestic and international efforts to pursue and punish dissidents.

"This is state terrorism," said Mashhad-based human right activist Mojtaba Hosseini.

"Exiled political figures and opponents of the Islamic Republic expose the crimes and oppression of the clerical regime to the world," said Tehran-based human rights activist Mohsen Alizadeh.

"Whether inside or outside Iran, the Islamic Republic suppresses every dissenting voice," said Mashhad resident Kianoosh, giving just his first name out of fear of repercussions.

"Inside the country, its tools of repression include censorship, arrests, torture and executions. Outside Iran, the regime has sought to silence the opposition through assassinations."

"The Islamic Republic cannot tolerate even the slightest criticism or dissent," said Mashhad resident Reza, who also withheld his last name.