The United States has not engaged in any discussions with Pakistan regarding the indictment of Asif Merchant, a Pakistani national implicated in an alleged Iranian plot to assassinate US politicians and officials, a State Department spokesperson announced on Thursday.
During a press briefing, spokesperson Matthew Miller stated that there have been no discussions between Washington and Islamabad concerning the case involving Merchant. “I don’t have any discussions to speak to today,” said Miller.
Merchant, aged 46, is accused of trying to recruit individuals in the United States to execute an assassination in response to the 2020 killing of Iran’s top military commander, Qassem Soleimani, by US forces. According to the prosecutors, Merchant, who had spent time in Iran before traveling to the US, faces charges of murder for hire. On July 16, a federal judge in Brooklyn ordered his detention, as per court records.
Addressing inquiries about the indictment, Miller highlighted the ongoing priority of protecting US citizens and officials from threats, particularly those originating from Iran. “The United States will continue to do what is necessary to protect its people, including foreign officials, from threats emanating from Iran,” he remarked.
Miller declined to comment further, indicating that it was an ongoing legal matter, and directed further questions about the charges to the Department of Justice. “I would defer to the Justice Department to speak to an indictment returned by a grand jury,” he noted.