Jury convicts two men of conspiring to murder journalist Masih Alinejad on behalf of Iran on US soil

This Thursday, a jury in a New York federal court convicted two men, Rafat Amirov and Polad Omarov, of planning the murder of Masih Alinejad, an Iranian-American journalist known for her activism against the Iranian regime.

According to prosecutors in the case, this plot was financed by the Iranian government in retaliation for Alinejad's campaigns from the United States, which encouraged Iranian women to defy their country's laws requiring them to cover their hair.

Also, prosecutors explained that, after unsuccessfully attempting to intimidate her, Iran offered $500,000 in July 2022 to have Alinejad assassinated. To do so, they recruited Amirov and Omarov, described leaders of the Russian mafia, and hired Khalid Mehdiyev, a former mafia member living in Yonkers.

Mehdiyev purchased an AK-47 rifle to fulfill the assignment. However, the plan backfired when police stopped him and found the weapon. In addition, a camera in Alinejad's house recorded him on her porch, a tip that helped uncover the plot against the journalist.

During the two-week trial, Mehdiyev testified against Amirov and Omarov after pleading guilty and cooperating with authorities.

The U.S. Attorney's Office Southern District of New York, in a statement, notes that both Amirov and Omarov "were convicted on five counts: murder-for-hire, which carries a maximum sentence of 10 years in prison (Count One); conspiracy to commit murder-for-hire, which carries a maximum sentence of 10 years in prison (Count Two); conspiracy to commit money laundering, which carries a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison (Count Three); attempted murder in aid of racketeering, which carries a maximum sentence of 10 years in prison (Count Four); and possession and use of a firearm in connection with the attempted murder, which carries a maximum sentence of life in prison and a mandatory minimum sentence of five years in prison (Count Five)."

For their part, Amirov and Omarov's lawyers insisted on their innocence, claiming the evidence was weak, but the jury found them guilty and they are scheduled to be sentenced on September 17, 2025.

Alinejad, for her part, was not present when the verdict was read out. She expressed her relief and excitement to the Associated Press, where she cried, laughed and even danced upon learning that the men who wanted to kill her were convicted.

In addition, she called the verdict "a powerful gift from the American government" to the people of Iran because it shows that justice is beginning to be served.

However, she pointed out that the real perpetrators are in the Iranian government. In her view, this ruling is a message of justice for her and the people of Iran.

The journalist celebrated the verdict on her X account

In an emotional message posted on her X account, the Iranian-American journalist celebrated the conviction of the men who plotted to assassinate her in New York—a plot she attributes to the Iranian regime.

"I and the women of Iran have today won and you @khamenei_ir and your hated regime have lost!" she wrote, directly addressing Iran's supreme leader, Ali Khamenei.

Alinejad expressed relief after nearly three years of living in constant danger, moving more than 20 times between safe houses, and emphasized that, although the executioners were found guilty, the real perpetrators remain in power in Iran.

With a mixture of tears, laughter and dancing, Alinejad described the ruling as a personal victory and a humiliation for the Iranian regime, which, she said, failed in its attempt to assassinate her.

“I am still here. And I will keep fighting,” she said, vowing to continue until the regime is dismantled and her people regain their freedom.

She also elevated the case to a national security issue for the United States, warning President Donald Trump that the Iranian regime threatens not only her but the country's values of freedom and democracy.

“If they can send assassins to kill a journalist on American soil, they can threaten anyone,” she stressed.

The journalist closed her message with thanks to the FBI, the Department of Justice and U.S. law enforcement agencies, acknowledging their role in the process.

Alinejad, despite the danger, says this makes her "determined to give voice to voiceless people,” especially her supporters in Iran who face repression without the protections she has in the United States.

Finally, she wrote "Thank you, America," expressing her gratitude to the country that welcomed and protected her.

Not the first time

This is not the only case in which Iran has been accused of planning assassinations in the United States. According to U.S. officials, there have also been plots against figures such as President Donald Trump and former security adviser John Bolton linked to revenge for the death of Iranian General Qassem Soleimaniin 2020.

Iran, for its part, denies these allegations, but the investigation remains open, with recent charges against an Iranian military officer and other suspects yet to be captured.