By — Lindsay Whitehurst, Associated Press Lindsay Whitehurst, Associated Press By — Ellen Knickmeyer, Associated Press Ellen Knickmeyer, Associated Press Leave your feedback Share Copy URL https://www.pbs.org/newshour/politics/watch-live-state-department-holds-briefing-after-charges-filed-in-plot-to-kill-iranian-dissident Email Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Pinterest Tumblr Share on Facebook Share on Twitter WATCH: State Department holds briefing after charges filed in plot to kill Iranian dissident Politics Jan 27, 2023 1:37 PM EDT State Department spokesman Ned Price held a news briefing after the Justice Department charges three men as part of an Iran-backed plot to kill an Iranian American author and activist who has spoken out against human rights abuses. Watch the briefing in the player above. The men, Rafat Amirov, 43, of Iran, Polad Omarov, 38, of the Czech Republic and Slovenia and Khalid Mehdiyev, 24, of Yonkers, New York, were charged with money laundering and murder-for-hire in a superseding indictment unsealed in federal court in New York. The three men were in custody and one was awaiting extradition to the U.S. Though authorities didn’t identify the alleged target by name, Masih Alinejad, an Iranian opposition activist and writer in exile in New York City, confirmed to The Associated Press that she was the target of the plot. “I’m not scared,” Alinejad told the AP after U.S. authorities announced the charges. “I want to tell you that the Iranian regime thinks by trying to kill me, they will silence me, or silence other women. But they only strengthen me, make me more powerful to fight for democracy and give voice to brave women who are facing guns and bullets in the streets to get rid of the Islamic Republic.” She said FBI officials had read her the messages that the plotters exchanged between themselves, including a final one: “It’s going to be done today.” Iran’s mission to the United Nations did not immediately respond to a request for comment on the charges. Iranian state media did not immediately acknowledge the alleged plot late Friday. By — Lindsay Whitehurst, Associated Press Lindsay Whitehurst, Associated Press By — Ellen Knickmeyer, Associated Press Ellen Knickmeyer, Associated Press
State Department spokesman Ned Price held a news briefing after the Justice Department charges three men as part of an Iran-backed plot to kill an Iranian American author and activist who has spoken out against human rights abuses. Watch the briefing in the player above. The men, Rafat Amirov, 43, of Iran, Polad Omarov, 38, of the Czech Republic and Slovenia and Khalid Mehdiyev, 24, of Yonkers, New York, were charged with money laundering and murder-for-hire in a superseding indictment unsealed in federal court in New York. The three men were in custody and one was awaiting extradition to the U.S. Though authorities didn’t identify the alleged target by name, Masih Alinejad, an Iranian opposition activist and writer in exile in New York City, confirmed to The Associated Press that she was the target of the plot. “I’m not scared,” Alinejad told the AP after U.S. authorities announced the charges. “I want to tell you that the Iranian regime thinks by trying to kill me, they will silence me, or silence other women. But they only strengthen me, make me more powerful to fight for democracy and give voice to brave women who are facing guns and bullets in the streets to get rid of the Islamic Republic.” She said FBI officials had read her the messages that the plotters exchanged between themselves, including a final one: “It’s going to be done today.” Iran’s mission to the United Nations did not immediately respond to a request for comment on the charges. Iranian state media did not immediately acknowledge the alleged plot late Friday.