US Trial Reveals Attempted Assassination Plot Against Iranian Journalist
Khalid Mehdiyev admits in court that he was hired to kill Masih Alinejad, an outspoken critic of the Iranian government.
In a federal court in Manhattan, Khalid Mehdiyev, a 27-year-old self-identified member of a Russian organized crime group, testified on March 11, 2025, about his involvement in a plot to assassinate Iranian-American journalist Masih Alinejad.
Mehdiyev, who was arrested in Brooklyn in July 2022, claimed he had an AK-47 rifle and a ski mask in his car at the time of his arrest, stating, "I was there to try to kill the journalist."
Prosecutors allege that Mehdiyev was hired by associates Rafat Amirov, 45, and Polad Omarov, 40, to carry out the assassination.
Alinejad, who has resided in New York since 2009, is known for her vocal criticism of the Iranian government and its policies regarding women.
According to federal prosecutor Jacob Gutwillig, the Iranian government allegedly offered a $500,000 payment to orchestrate the murder of Alinejad, labeling the defendants as "hired guns for the government of Iran."
Amirov and Omarov have both pleaded not guilty to charges of murder for hire and attempted murder in aid of racketeering.
If convicted, they face substantial prison sentences.
In his defense, Amirov’s attorney, Michael Martin, argued that the case relies on circumstantial evidence and the discredited testimony of a criminal.
Similarly, Omarov's lawyer, Michael Perkins, asserted that the evidence would not demonstrate an intent to kill Alinejad.
Mehdiyev, who has pleaded guilty to charges of attempted murder and illegal possession of a firearm, testified about having directed various criminal activities, including murders and kidnappings, during a decade-long criminal career that began in Azerbaijan.
He acknowledged knowing the target as "Masih" and is cooperating with prosecutors, facing a minimum sentence of 15 years due to his cooperation.
Iran's mission to the United Nations has not commented on the trial, though the Iranian government previously denounced separate accusations involving four intelligence officers who supposedly sought to kidnap Alinejad in 2021, calling those claims "baseless."
Mehdiyev, who was arrested in Brooklyn in July 2022, claimed he had an AK-47 rifle and a ski mask in his car at the time of his arrest, stating, "I was there to try to kill the journalist."
Prosecutors allege that Mehdiyev was hired by associates Rafat Amirov, 45, and Polad Omarov, 40, to carry out the assassination.
Alinejad, who has resided in New York since 2009, is known for her vocal criticism of the Iranian government and its policies regarding women.
According to federal prosecutor Jacob Gutwillig, the Iranian government allegedly offered a $500,000 payment to orchestrate the murder of Alinejad, labeling the defendants as "hired guns for the government of Iran."
Amirov and Omarov have both pleaded not guilty to charges of murder for hire and attempted murder in aid of racketeering.
If convicted, they face substantial prison sentences.
In his defense, Amirov’s attorney, Michael Martin, argued that the case relies on circumstantial evidence and the discredited testimony of a criminal.
Similarly, Omarov's lawyer, Michael Perkins, asserted that the evidence would not demonstrate an intent to kill Alinejad.
Mehdiyev, who has pleaded guilty to charges of attempted murder and illegal possession of a firearm, testified about having directed various criminal activities, including murders and kidnappings, during a decade-long criminal career that began in Azerbaijan.
He acknowledged knowing the target as "Masih" and is cooperating with prosecutors, facing a minimum sentence of 15 years due to his cooperation.
Iran's mission to the United Nations has not commented on the trial, though the Iranian government previously denounced separate accusations involving four intelligence officers who supposedly sought to kidnap Alinejad in 2021, calling those claims "baseless."