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A Pakistani national accused of plotting to assassinate American political leaders told a US court that Iranian intelligence operatives forced him into the plan by threatening his family.
According to a report by the New York Post, Asif Merchant, 47, made the claim while testifying before a federal court in Brooklyn on Wednesday. Merchant, who faces charges of terrorism and murder-for-hire, told the jury he was pressured into the alleged scheme to protect his relatives living in Iran.
“I had no other options. My family was threatened,” Merchant said during his testimony.
Prosecutors allege that Merchant, a former banker, paid 5,000 dollars to two undercover FBI agents who were posing as contract killers. The payment was reportedly part of a plan to carry out assassinations in the United States.
Merchant told the court that an Iranian handler asked him in April 2024 to travel to the US to arrange the killing of political figures. He claimed the handler mentioned three potential targets, Donald Trump, Joe Biden and Nikki Haley, who were among the leading candidates during the 2024 US presidential race.
The accused identified the handler as Mehrdad Yousef, whom he described as a member of Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps. Merchant said he was already involved in helping Iran bypass sanctions through money laundering when the alleged pressure began.
According to Merchant, Yousef visited his home in Iran and showed a weapon while threatening his family members, which forced him to cooperate with the plan.
Court records cited by the New York Post say surveillance footage from June 2024 showed Merchant meeting the undercover agents at a motel in Queens, where he allegedly discussed details of the plot and asked how the target would be killed.
However, Merchant claimed he never believed the plan would succeed and expected to be arrested. He told the court that he was “mentally ready” to be caught and planned to cooperate with US authorities.
He also argued that the payment of 5,000 dollars showed the plot was unrealistic, saying no one would carry out a murder for such a small amount.
Merchant, who was arrested in August 2024, has pleaded not guilty to the charges. He is scheduled to face cross-examination on Thursday and could face life imprisonment if convicted.