The U.S. State Department has announced a $20 million reward for information leading to the arrest of Shahram Poursafi, an Iranian operative accused of plotting to assassinate John Bolton, the former national security adviser under President Donald Trump. Poursafi, a member of Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC), allegedly attempted to hire U.S.-based criminals to carry out the killing in 2021 and 2022, offering $300,000 for the task.
The assassination plot was reportedly in retaliation for the 2020 U.S. drone strike that killed Iranian General Qassem Soleimani in Baghdad, an operation ordered by Trump. According to U.S. officials, Poursafi also suggested that a second assassination job would follow Bolton’s murder. However, the potential hitman he contacted turned out to be a confidential source for U.S. investigators.
Poursafi was charged in 2022, but he remains at large and is believed to be outside the United States. The State Department’s “Rewards for Justice” program has launched this bounty in hopes of locating and apprehending him.
Former national security adviser John Bolton, who is currently under 24-hour protection due to ongoing threats, emphasized the gravity of the situation. “When they come after us, government officials, current and former, for doing their job, that’s an attack on the United States government itself,” Bolton said. He also urged the U.S. government to take a more proactive stance against such threats from Iran.
The announcement of the reward comes just days after former President Trump revealed that he had been briefed by U.S. intelligence about an Iranian plot against his life. However, there has been no evidence linking Iran to recent attempts on Trump’s life.
Iran has consistently denied involvement in any assassination plots against U.S. officials, but tensions remain high following Soleimani’s death. Iranian officials have publicly vowed to avenge the general’s killing, further complicating the already fraught relationship between the two nations.
The U.S. continues to monitor potential threats, and authorities are actively pursuing any leads that may bring Poursafi to justice.
