The U.S. Justice Department has charged four Iranian officials, including Ruhollah Bazghandi, a brigadier general in the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC), for their involvement in a plot to assassinate Iranian-American journalist Masih Alinejad in New York. The individuals, all based in Iran, allegedly orchestrated the murder-for-hire scheme, with Bazghandi leading the efforts since July 2022. The plot was disrupted when an operative was arrested near Alinejad's home with weapons and ammunition. This follows previous indictments against members of an Eastern European crime group hired for the plot. Alinejad, who has been vocal against the Iranian regime, expressed gratitude for law enforcement's intervention, affirming her determination to continue advocating for Iranian rights. The IRGC, designated as a terrorist organization by the U.S., has been involved in international terrorism and plots against dissidents abroad.