Repetition of a Lose-Lose Game
Once again, the plan to hire individuals for the assassination of American officials failed, and those who should learn a lesson have not yet taken heed. Asif Merchant, a 46-year-old Pakistani citizen who, after staying in Iran, had gone to Texas, was quickly reported to the FBI as he began his plan to recruit his desired personnel for the assassination of important American figures. The U.S. Federal Police set a special trap for him, and his attempt to hire assassins was documented. Although the names of his targets are not mentioned in the indictment, journalists have discovered that Trump was one of the targets. Asif was arrested exactly one day before Trump’s assassination attempt in Pennsylvania while trying to leave the U.S. During his contact with individuals who were actually FBI agents, he revealed his plans. He had stated that he was looking to steal key government documents and USBs containing confidential information, organize subversive protests, and carry out assassination operations. The FBI chief, in his statement, described this Pakistani as sympathetic to Iran and his plans as following Iranian patterns and instructions. This is yet another instance where this path and this game have been tested, wasting time and resources and resulting in infamy, while also worsening the situation for Iranians residing in the U.S., especially those on student and work visas.