Reward for Iranian linked to alleged Bolton assassination plot

The United States government is offering a substantial reward of up to $20 million for any information that could lead to the capture or conviction of an Iranian individual alleged to have plotted the assassination of former national security adviser John Bolton.

According to the Department of Justice, Shahram Poursafi, associated with Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC), attempted to recruit individuals to carry out the assassination of Bolton, a prominent figure in the Trump administration, during a timeframe between October 2021 and April 2022 in the Washington and Maryland areas. The payment for this planned assassination was reportedly set at $300,000.

Poursafi was charged on August 5, 2022, facing allegations related to a murder-for-hire scheme and providing material assistance for a transnational murder conspiracy. In June of the previous year, the Treasury Department classified him as a “Specially Designated Global Terrorist.” He is currently a fugitive.

Details from the State Department indicate that Poursafi suggested to the prospective assassin—who ultimately became a confidential informant for U.S. law enforcement—that upon completing the assassination of Bolton, he would then be offered another assassination task.

This announcement regarding the reward closely follows intelligence reports given to the Trump campaign, revealing potential assassination threats from Iran against the former president. Additionally, a Pakistani national with links to the Iranian government faced charges earlier this month related to plotting a political assassination within the United States.

In response to these allegations, Iranian Vice President Mohammad Javad Zarif denied any claims regarding Iran’s involvement in overseas assassination attempts. In a recent interview, he stated that while Iran does not engage in such actions, it is important to note that the U.S. conducted an assassination of a highly respected Iranian general.

General Qassem Soleimani, a senior commander in the IRGC, was killed in a drone strike in January 2020, an action sanctioned by then-President Trump. Bolton, who often criticized Iran, held the national security adviser position from April 2018 until September 2019.