US reveals Iran is still targeting Trump with 'lethal plots'

by · Mail Online

American security officials are still tracking Iranian plots to kill Donald Trump and other high-profile figures, according to the nation's top law enforcement officer.

Attorney General Merrick Garland delivered an update on Friday about Tehran's efforts to disrupt the 2024 election, as charges against three members of Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (I.R.G.C.) were revealed.

'There are few actors in this world that pose as grave a threat to the national security of the United States as does Iran, state sponsor of terrorism,' he said. 

'Iran's malign activities are wide ranging. 

'The US government is intensely tracking Iran's lethal plotting against current and former US government officials, including former President Trump.'

Iranian Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) soldiers march in formation during the annual military parade marking the Iraqi invasion in 1980, which led to an eight-year-long war (1980-1988); in Tehran, Iran, 21 September 2024

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Security around the former president was stepped up after he survived an assassination attempt in July.

A second suspected assassination attempt was thwarted earlier this month.

There is no evidence that Iran was involved in either of those.

But this week Trump was briefed by security officials about Iranian plots to kill him.

The former president demanded that President Joe Biden threaten Iran with being blown to 'smithereens' if he came to any harm at their hands. 

'We are working to investigate and disrupt Iran's funding and support of Hamas Hezbollah and other terrorist groups, and we are working relentlessly to uncover and counter Iran's efforts to stoke discord, to undermine confidence in our democratic institutions and to influence our relations,' said Garland.

The Trump campaign revealed in August that it had been hacked by Iran.

Several news outlets reported that they had been offered campaign documents but declined to publish them.

On Friday, charges against three Iranians were unsealed.

Attorney General Merrick Garland on Friday announced criminal charges against Iranian operatives suspected of hacking Donald Trump's presidential campaign and disseminating stolen information to media organizations
Garland also said officials were 'tracking Iran's lethal plotting against current and former US government officials, including former President Trump'
The indictment said the three men—all members of the I.R.G.C.—engaged in a wide-ranging hacking campaign that began in 2020. They targeted American officials, journalists and campaign operatives in an effort to undermine the democratic process

The indictment said the three men—all members of the I.R.G.C.—engaged in a wide-ranging hacking campaign that began in 2020. They targeted American officials, journalists and campaign operatives in an effort to undermine the democratic process.

The charges include identity theft, wire fraud, and computer fraud. 

It reveals how Iran stole debate prep material from the Trump campaign and and tried to send it to the Biden camp on the day of the first, and only, debate between then. 

Garland said all three live in Iran, making a prosecution unlikely. 

At the same time, the Treasury Department announced sanctions on seven members of the I.R.G.C.

And the State Department said it was offering rewards of up to $10 million for information that led to the arrest of the three defendants.

For its part, Iran described the allegations as 'unsubstantiated and devoid of any standing.'