The Justice Department said on Wednesday that it had charged a 45-year-old Iranian national who is a member of Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps with plotting an assassination attempt on former National Security Advisor John Bolton.
The DOJ said that Shahram Poursafi, also known as Mehdi Rezayi, attempted to pay individuals in the United States $300,000 to carry out the assassination in Washington, DC or Maryland.
The plot was likely in retaliation for the January 2020 assassination of Qasem Soleimani, the leader of Quds Force, a division of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps.
Former President Donald Trump ordered the airstrike that killed Soleimani, which took place outside Baghdad Airport in Iraq while Bolton was serving as his national security adviser.
The Justice Department said Wednesday it had charged a 45-year-old Iranian national who is a member of Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps with plotting to assassinate former National Security Adviser John Bolton (pictured).
An FBI-wanted poster showing photos of 45-year-old Iranian Islamic Revolutionary Guard member Shahram Poursafe, who the DOJ says attempted to have John Bolton killed
Bolton then celebrated the death of Soleimani.
“Congratulations to everyone involved in the elimination of Qassem Soleimani. After much preparation, this was a decisive blow to the Iranian Quds Force’s malign activities worldwide,” Bolton said. “I hope this is the first step towards regime change in Tehran.”
Bolton thanked US authorities on Wednesday after the conspiracy was made public.
“I want to thank the Department of Justice for opening the unsealed criminal case today; the FBI for its diligence in exposing and prosecuting the Iranian regime’s criminal threats to American citizens; and the secret service for protection from Tehran’s efforts,” the former national security adviser tweeted.
Poursafi was charged with “utilizing interstate trade facilities in the commission of assassinations and providing and attempting material support to a transnational assassination plot,” the DOJ said.
In October, Poursafi reached out to an “Individual A,” a US citizen whom the Iranian had previously met online, and asked the individual to take photos of Bolton.
Poursafi claimed the photos were for a book he was writing.
The person told Poursafi he could introduce him to another person who could take the photos for a fee of between $5,000 and $10,000.
Person A later introduced Poursafi to an individual referred to in court documents as a “confidential human source” or “CHS.”
On November 9, 2021, Poursafi contacted CHS via an encrypted messaging app and redirected the person to another encrypted app for further communication.
Poursafi then offered the person $250,000 to hire someone to “eliminate” Bolton.
The amount was later negotiated at $300,000.
Poursafi added that there would be an extra “job” and he was willing to pay $1 million.
A July intelligence report from the National Counter Terrorism Center said Iran may be planning to assassinate senior former US officials over Soleimani’s death, including Trump, former Secretary of State Mike Pompeo and former CENTCOM commander Gen. Kenneth McKenzie.
Poursafi asked the CHS to open a cryptocurrency currency for payment but told the person he or she would not be paid until the murder was carried out.
Poursafi also warned that if the person paid and the Bolton was not murdered, his “group” would be furious.
He has never denied being part of the Quds Force of Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps.
On November 14, 2021, CHS asked Poursafi for help locating Bolton.
Poursafi then provided the individual Bolton’s Washington work address and provided CHS with screenshots of a street view of the building – saying it was “10,162 km away” from Poursafi’s location, the distance between DC and Tehran.
Five days later, Poursafi told CHS it didn’t matter how the murder was carried out, but his “group” would need video confirmation of Bolton’s death.
CHS asked what would happen if the murder was blamed on Iran.
Poursafi told CHS not to worry and that his “group” would take care of it.
He also advised CHS to speak constructively about the assassination plot.
“For example, when the CHS asked Poursafi to specify how the murder would be carried out, Poursafi told the CHS that he only asked the CHS to build a structure, but the method of construction was up to the CHS,” the DOJ said.
In December and January, Poursafi urged CHS to complete the task.
On December 22, he sent a photo with the person’s name and a stack of money.
On December 29, Poursafi asked CHS when the murder would be carried out, saying his “group” wanted it done quickly.
On Jan. 3, Poursafi said “his people” are eager to see this.
CHS responded and asked how many people were involved, with Poursafi responding that he only had to report to one person but there was a chain of command that his superior reported to.
Poursafi also expressed regret that the assassination would not be carried out in time for the anniversary of Soleimani’s death.
Soleimani was killed on January 3rd.
Poursafi also warned CHS that if the murder wasn’t carried out soon, their job would be taken away.
Poursafi also told CHS that if he or she used a “small gun,” he or she would have to get close to the target, but a “big gun” could be used to allow the person to stay farther away.
On January 18, the two people had a back-and-forth about whether Bolton was traveling outside of Washington, DC during the time Poursafi wanted CHS to commit the murder.
Poursafi told CHS he had “something to check” and found within the hour that Bolton was not on the road at the time.
He then provided CHS with details of Bolton’s schedule, which did not appear to be publicly available.
Three days later, Poursafi informed CHS that after successfully completing the first “job”, CHS would have a second job available.
Poursafi revealed that surveillance of the second target was complete, explaining that the information was gathered “from the United States” and “not from Google,” indicating the Iranians had an American source on the ground.
On February 1, Poursafi told CHS that if he or she did not eliminate the target within two weeks, the job would be taken away.
Poursafi also informed the individual that someone checked the area around Bolton’s home and found that no security detail was present — so CHS should be able to “finish the job,” the DOJ said.
The job was never completed.
In March, communications from Poursafi and CHS appeared to reveal that their Bolton job had been taken away.
Poursafi told CHS he had another assassination assignment for CHS and encouraged the individual to accept the offer and if successful the “group” would allow them to pursue Bolton again.
In late April, CHS said he would no longer work for Poursafi without pay.
Poursafi sent each two payments equaling $100.
The DOJ said that if convicted, Poursafi faces up to 10 years in prison and a $250,000 fine for using interstate trade facilities in committing contract killing.
The second charge, attempting to provide material support to a transnational murder plot, could face 15 years in prison and a fine of up to $250,000.
Poursafi remains at large abroad.