Iran’s UN mission rejects allegation of attempts to eliminate critics abroad

Iran's permanent mission to the United Nations in New York has categorically rejected allegations of attempts to eliminate critics abroad as "fabrications." 'The Islamic Republic of Iran does neither harbor any intention nor any plan to carry out targeted killing or abduction operations, whether in the West or any other country,' the diplomatic mission said in a statement on Thursday. It added, 'These fabrications have been made and spread by the Zionist regime, the Albania-based Mujahedin-e Khalq terror cult, and certain Western intelligence services - including those of the United States - to divert attention from the atrocities being perpetrated by the Israeli regime.' The statement comes as the US Justice Department and prosecutors said Wednesday that a Pakistani man has been charged for allegedly plotting to assassinate a US official in retaliation for the targeted killing of Iran's top anti-terror commander, General Qassem Soleimani outside Baghdad International Airport in January 2020. Asif Raza M erchant, 46, purportedly sought to hire a hitman to assassinate a politician or a US government official in the United States, they claimed. FBI Director Christopher Wray has also claimed that the Pakistani national had 'close ties to Iran.' Source: National news agency - Lebanon