Iran has dismissed US allegations that it planned to kill former national security advisor (NSA) John Bolton in retaliation for the assassination of its Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) commander Qassem Soleimani.
US Justice Department had said on Wednesday that a member of IRGC was indicted over allegations of offering to pay an individual $300,000 to kill Bolton, in a move that was likely retaliation for the US killing of the top Iranian commander.
Responding to the allegation, spokesman of Iran’s Foreign Ministry Nasser Kanani said that the allegations of US Justice department created a “new work of fiction” as they were without any valid evidence.
Calling the US Justice Department’s claims baseless, he said that the purpose was to avoid being held to account for crimes. Kanani further said, “The Islamic republic warns against any action that targets Iranian citizens by resorting to ridiculous accusations.”
Bolton has called Iran’s government “liars, terrorists and enemies of US”.
Another member of IRGC, Shahram Poursafi has also been alleged to put forth the possibility of a second target, that would earn the assassin $1 million. US media outlet Axios has claimed that the second target was the former secretary of state and CIA director Mike Pompeo.
The person with whom Poursafi was dealing with has been claimed to be an informant of US Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), according to court filings. Poursafi faces offences that may put him in prison for 15 years.
According to the Justice Department, Poursafi is at large and believed to be in Iran.
Soleimani was killed in a US drone attack at Baghdad airport on January 7, 2020 and Tehran had vowed to avenge his death.
