A Pakistani businessman was convicted Friday in a federal court for planning an assassination plot linked to Iran’s Major Guard, a case that has drawn attention to foreign interference in U.S. politics. Asif Merchant, 47, was found guilty of terrorism and murder for hire charges in a trial that included his own testimony about being directed by an Iranian paramilitary operative.

The Trial and the Accusations

Merchant’s conviction followed a weeklong trial in Brooklyn, where he admitted to attempting to hire assassins to target high-profile U.S. politicians during the 2024 presidential campaign. He was shown using objects on a napkin to depict a shooting at a rally and approached an acquaintance to help him hire assassins. Instead, the acquaintance led him to undercover FBI agents, who recorded his plan.

Merchant told the jury he had been instructed by a contact in Iran’s Major Guard, a group the U.S. designates as a foreign terrorist organization. He said the contact had given him countersurveillance training and asked him to carry out the assassination plan, though he did not specify a target. Merchant mentioned names such as Donald Trump, Joe Biden, and Nikki Haley, all of whom were running for president at the time.

Prosecutors emphasized that Merchant did not go to authorities with his plan but instead took steps to execute it. He was arrested in July 2024, a day before an unrelated assassination attempt on Trump in Butler, Pennsylvania. Officials said they had been tracking a threat on Trump’s life from Iran, a claim the Iranian government called ‘unsubstantiated and malicious.’

The Defense and the Motive

Merchant’s defense argued that he had been forced to act under duress to protect his family in Iran. He said he had been reluctant to carry out the plan and had intended to explain his situation to authorities before anyone was killed. However, prosecutors said he did not present evidence to support this claim and instead sought to persuade jurors that they would not believe him because he ‘thought they would think I am some type of super-spy.’

Merchant testified that he had met a Major Guard intelligence operative about three years ago. The contact had given him training and assignments, including the assassination scheme. He said he was not a spy but had been acting on the orders of his handler.

Merchant worked in Pakistani banks for decades before moving into clothing and other businesses. He has two families, one in Pakistan and one in Iran, and he sometimes visited the U.S. for his garment business. His attorney, Avraham Moskowitz, did not immediately reply to a message seeking comment after the conviction.

Implications and Next Steps

The conviction has raised concerns about foreign interference in U.S. elections and the potential for terrorism on American soil. U.S. Attorney General Pam Bondi said in a statement that Merchant had ‘landed on American soil hoping to kill President Trump — instead, he was met with the might of American law enforcement.’

Merchant faces up to life in prison. His sentencing is expected to take place in the coming months. The case has also drawn attention to the broader issue of Iran’s alleged involvement in threats against U.S. officials, including the Butler, Pennsylvania, incident in July 2024, which was described by authorities as an isolated act.

The trial highlights the challenges of combating foreign-sponsored terrorism and the risks of individuals being caught in the middle of geopolitical tensions. Analysts say the case could have long-term implications for U.S. foreign policy and counterterrorism strategies.