Inside the Conviction of Iran's Would-Be Assassins.

The article focuses on the conviction of two Eastern European gangsters hired by Iran to assassinate Masih Alinejad, an Iranian journalist and activist, at her Brooklyn home. The 2022 plot was part of multiple attempts by Iran to target Alinejad, who is openly critical of the Iranian regime and has a large social media following. Evidence presented in the U.S. trial detailed the involvement of Iranian intelligence operatives, including Brig. Gen. Ruhollah Bazghandi of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC), and revealed extensive digital surveillance and coordination efforts. The hitman, Khalid Mehdiyev, testified against his co-defendants, while defense attorneys argued the plot was a scam to defraud Iranian handlers. Alinejad testified about Iran's hostility toward her and the regime's broader campaign against dissidents.