TEHRAN – The Islamic Republic of Iran has firmly denied any involvement with a Pakistani national, who has reportedly been arrested in the United States and accused of orchestrating a foiled plot to assassinate prominent U.S. politicians.

In a statement issued on Tuesday, Iran’s permanent mission to the United Nations refuted the claims following reports by American news outlets about the arrest of an individual named Asif Merchant. These reports alleged that Merchant was apprehended last month and charged with hiring supposed hitmen to execute the assassination plot. Additionally, the outlets cited an affidavit by an FBI agent suggesting that Merchant may have targeted "current or former high-level officials," including former President Donald Trump.

Responding to these allegations, the Iranian mission stated, "We have not received any reports in connection with this issue from the U.S. government." The mission also addressed accusations that the plot might have been directed at Trump, who in 2020 authorized a drone strike that killed Iran's top anti-terror commander, Lieutenant General Qassem Soleimani, in Iraq.

“It is clear that this method contradicts the policy that is being led by the Iranian government towards legal prosecution of Martyr Soleimani’s murderer,” the mission emphasized.

The controversy intensified following an incident on July 13, when Trump narrowly escaped an assassination attempt while campaigning in Butler, Pennsylvania, suffering only a minor injury to his ear. In the aftermath, various U.S. officials and media reports pointed fingers at Iran, accusing the country of masterminding the plot to kill Trump.

The Iranian government, however, has consistently maintained that its approach is rooted in seeking justice through legal avenues for the killing of General Soleimani, dismissing any suggestions of resorting to extrajudicial actions.