The revelation by the US Justice Department of an Iranian regime’s Revolutionary Guards (IRGC) plot to assassinate former US National Security Adviser John Bolton has shocked the world. But it shouldn’t be a surprise because it serves as yet another illustration of the mullahs’ regime in Iran’s true role as the principal state sponsor of terrorism.
This story is full of irony, given that Iran has continued its terror plots both in the United States and in Albania against its main opposition, the People’s Mojahedin of Iran (PMOI/MEK). All the while, the West has been negotiating a highly flawed nuclear deal with Tehran. A deal that will give the regime access to hundreds of billions of dollars in order for it to continue acting as the central banker of international terrorism.
Shahram Poursafi, an IRGC member, is now wanted by the FBI on murder-for-hire charges. Poursafi offered $300,000 for Amb. Bolton’s assassination and another $1 million for a second target, who has now been confirmed to be former US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo.
For months, Iran's gunmen have been walking around the streets of DC stalking John Bolton.
DOJ's indictment says Iran wanted to assassinate another top U.S. government official.
I can confirm the second target is former Secretary of State Mike Pompeo.https://t.co/7PBdgf86Wj
— Morgan Ortagus (@MorganOrtagus) August 10, 2022
“Our message to Iran is clear: we will not tolerate threats of violence against Americans — and that certainly includes former government officials. Any attack would be met with severe consequences,” tweeted U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken.
Unfortunately, this indicates that Tehran’s plotting of these two assassinations will have no repercussions and will only result in “severe consequences” if an attack is actually carried out. A mere US Justice Department indictment of an IRGC member still at large will be viewed as a weak response in Tehran, emboldening the regime to escalate its belligerence across the board.
Our message to Iran is clear: we will not tolerate threats of violence against Americans — and that certainly includes former government officials. Any attack would be met with severe consequences. https://t.co/X6pmTtHZKF
— Secretary Antony Blinken (@SecBlinken) August 11, 2022
In line with Blinken’s tepid tone, a U.S. official told Reuters on Wednesday, on the condition of anonymity, that Washington does not believe the charges leveled against an IRGC member should have any bearing on their nuclear diplomacy with the Iranian regime.
According to the FBI’s affidavit, the IRGC plot to assassinate Amb. Bolton began in October 2021, when nuclear negotiations with Iran were paused by the mullahs’ regime following the selection of Ebrahim Raisi as the regime’s new president.
The part that is troubling is that the plot continued throughout the rest of 2021 and into 2022 when the talks resumed. This means that the US administration chose to proceed with the process despite knowing that Iran was planning to assassinate at least one former senior US official.
The plot to kill @AmbJohnBolton began in Oct, two months after Ebrahim Raisi took office as Iran regime’s president. Now Raisi wants to visit the U.S. and speak at the #UNGA. Add terrorism to ground for his prosecution for crimes against humanity and ban him from US #NoVisa4Raisi https://t.co/58XrfONW6M
— Alireza Jafarzadeh (@A_Jafarzadeh) August 10, 2022
This suggests that the ruling mullahs in Tehran were assured that there would be no consequences or retaliation from Washington even if the assassination was successful while the nuclear talks in Vienna were still ongoing.
This is quite telling, and once more troubling, regarding Washington’s strategy and willingness to maintain their appeasement policy with Tehran, tolerating anything and everything in order to obtain a deeply flawed nuclear agreement with the Iranian regime.
The FBI affidavit sheds light on Poursafi’s claim to have set up a network in the United States. This means that the IRGC has a network of terrorists and assassins on American soil that the US administration is fully aware of, but Washington continues to refuse to withdraw from the nuclear talks with Iran.
According to the FBI affidavit, the IRGC was also able to obtain non-public information about Ambassador Bolton’s travel schedule, as well as pre-operation surveillance and intelligence about Secretary Pompeo.
“IRGC plot to assassinate Amb. John Bolton is alarming. The regime’s president was involved in the massacre of political prisoners & 1,500 protesters. Now, he is embarking on assassinating foreign politicians. Raisi must not enter the US & UN. He must be arrested & prosecuted,” tweeted Mohammad Mohaddessin, Chairman of the Foreign Affairs Commission of the Iranian opposition coalition National Council of Resistance of Iran (NCRI).
For the past four decades, Tehran’s mullahs have been watching closely, banking on the West’s illogical insistence on appeasement, causing death and destruction throughout the Middle East and beyond, and holding Western nationals hostage in exchange for its convicted terrorists.
When will the West recognize that it is past time to end the cycle of appeasement and terrorism as Tehran continues to be the leading state sponsor of terrorism while also developing its nuclear weapons program?
MEK Iran (follow us on Twitter and Facebook), Maryam Rajavi’s on her site, Twitter & Facebook, NCRI (Twitter & Facebook), and People’s Mojahedin Organization of Iran – MEK IRAN – YouTub
