Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian dismissed allegations that Iran plotted to assassinate U.S. President-elect Donald Trump. In an NBC News interview, Pezeshkian stated, "We have never attempted this to begin with and we never will," directly refuting claims made by Trump and the U.S. government.
The controversy arose after the U.S. Justice Department charged an Iranian man in November, alleging ties to a plot ordered by Iran's Revolutionary Guard Corps to target Trump. The alleged scheme was foiled by law enforcement, and no attack occurred. Trump, who survived two separate assassination attempts during his campaign—one in Florida and another in Pennsylvania—asserted that Iran might have been involved. However, investigators found no evidence linking Iran to either incident.
Iran has consistently denied accusations of meddling in U.S. affairs, including cyber interference. Tehran argues that Washington has interfered in its own domestic matters for decades, citing examples such as the 1953 coup against its prime minister and the 2020 drone strike that killed a top Iranian military commander.
The allegations come as tensions between the U.S. and Iran remain high. Trump's claims during his campaign and the subsequent charges have added fuel to the fire, despite Iran's firm denials.
By addressing these allegations, Pezeshkian sought to reaffirm Iran’s position against violent actions towards foreign leaders and emphasized Tehran’s desire to avoid further escalations in U.S.-Iran relations.