WASHINGTON, July 9 — The assassination of Iranian Major General Qasem Soleimani in January 2020 set in motion a chain of events that continues to reverberate through international security, with the United States now confronting a series of alleged Iranian-linked plots against current and former American officials that represent an unprecedented escalation in hostile actions on U.S. soil. On January 3, 2020, a U.S. drone strike killed Soleimani, the commander of Iran’s Quds Force. The strike was ordered by U.S. president Donald Trump.
Iran vowed severe retaliation for the loss of its military commander. That retaliation came five days later.
On January 8, 2020, Iran launched ballistic missiles at two Iraqi bases housing U.S. troops. The attack caused no fatalities among American personnel, but it left more than 100 service members with traumatic brain injuries.
A Pattern of Retaliation Emerges
The missile strikes did not mark the end of Iran’s response. Over the following years, U.S. law enforcement and intelligence agencies uncovered a series of plots that investigators say were orchestrated or encouraged by elements of the Iranian government, specifically the Ministry of Intelligence and Security, known as MOIS. In August 2022, the U.S. Department of Justice charged Iranian national Shahram Poursafi with plotting to assassinate former National Security Advisor John Bolton.
The following January, in 2023, the U.S. Treasury Department sanctioned Iranian intelligence officials for their involvement in targeting former U.S. officials. In August 2024, federal prosecutors charged a Pakistani national with ties to Iran for plotting to assassinate U.S. politicians.
The Plot Against Trump
The most direct threat to a former U.S. president emerged in November 2024, when the Justice Department revealed an alleged plot to assassinate former President Donald Trump. Officials described it as the most direct threat to a former U.S. president ever uncovered, implicating the Iranian Ministry of Intelligence and Security in the planning stages. The U.S. government has maintained a reward of up to $20 million for information on Soleimani’s death.
What Comes Next
The pattern of Iranian retaliation following Soleimani’s assassination has evolved from direct military strikes to complex intelligence operations targeting individuals. For the families of the more than 100 service members who suffered traumatic brain injuries in the January 2020 missile strikes, the ongoing tensions are a reminder that the consequences of Soleimani’s death continue to unfold. The United States has signaled that it will continue to pursue those responsible for plotting against its officials, both former and current.
The charges and sanctions imposed over the past four years demonstrate a commitment to holding Iran accountable, but the persistence of these plots suggests that the threat remains active. As of July 2026, no additional charges have been filed in connection with the alleged plot against Trump, and the investigation continues.
