Iran gave secret assurances to US it wouldn't target Trump, WSJ report

The US charged an Iranian man last week in connection with an alleged plot to assassinate President-elect Donald Trump.

By HANNAH SARISOHN, REUTERS NOVEMBER 15, 2024 17:44

U.S. President-elect Donald Trump adjusts the microphone as he meets with House Republicans on Capitol Hill in Washington, U.S., November 13, 2024. (photo credit: REUTERS/BRIAN SNYDER)

Iran provided the Biden administration with secret, written assurances in October that it wasn't seeking to kill then-presidential candidate Donald Trump, the Wall Street Journal reported on Friday morning. 

WSJ was the first to report of this exchange between Washington and Tehran, which was in response to a warning the US sent to Iran in September saying it considered threats against Trump a "top-tier national security issue" and that "any attempt on his life would be treated as an act of war."

The US charged an Iranian man last week in connection with an alleged plot ordered by Iran's elite Revolutionary Guards Corps to assassinate President-elect Trump, the Justice Department said.

Iran Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi walks, on the sidelines of the 79th United Nations General Assembly at UN headquarters in New York, US, September 24, 2024. (credit: CAITLIN OCHS/REUTERS)

Farhad Shakeri informed law enforcement "that he was tasked on October 7, 2024, with providing a plan to kill" Trump, the department said in a statement. It said Shakeri told law enforcement he did not intend to formulate such a plan within the time frame directed by the IRGC.

Iran denies claims of plot

Iran's Foreign Minister Abbas Araqchi denied US charges that Tehran was linked to an alleged plot to kill Donald Trump and called on Saturday for confidence-building between the two hostile countries.

In September, Trump's campaign said he was briefed by US intelligence officials on alleged threats from Iran to assassinate him.