Pakistani suspect Asif Merchant says he was coerced by Iran in alleged plot targeting Trump

A Pakistani man, Asif Merchant, accused of plotting to assassinate US President Donald Trump told a court that he did not voluntarily cooperate with Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps (IRGC), saying he acted under pressure to protect his family, media reports said on Wednesday.

As reported by Reuters, prosecutors have charged Asif Merchant with attempting to recruit individuals inside the United States to carry out attacks on Trump and other American political figures. Authorities allege the plan was intended as retaliation for Washington’s killing of senior Iranian commander Qassem Soleimani.

The IRGC holds significant influence in Iran, wielding military, economic and intelligence power across the country.

During testimony in his trial on terrorism and murder-for-hire charges, Merchant said he felt compelled to participate. According to the New York Times, he told the court he did not take part willingly and feared for the safety of relatives living in Tehran.

Federal prosecutors disputed that claim, arguing there was no credible evidence showing Merchant had been coerced. In a letter submitted to the judge earlier this week, they said there was a lack of proof supporting a defence of duress.

Merchant reportedly testified that he was never given a direct order to assassinate a specific individual. However, he said an Iranian contact mentioned three names during discussions in Tehran.

Along with Trump, the names allegedly included then-president Joe Biden and Nikki Haley, who unsuccessfully sought the Republican nomination in the 2024 US presidential race.

Merchant’s lawyers did not immediately respond to requests for comment, and the White House also declined to comment.

The trial began last week, shortly before Trump authorised strikes on Iran in coordination with Israel. The attacks reportedly killed Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei along with several senior officials.

Speaking to ABC News on Sunday, Trump referred to what he described as an Iranian threat against him while discussing the operation, saying: “I got him before he got me.”

Iran has repeatedly rejected allegations that it plotted to assassinate Trump or other US officials.