Iran rejects accusations it was involved in plots to assassinate Trump

TEHRAN, Iran (AP) — Iran has rejected accusations regarding plots to assassinate former U.S. President Donald Trump, while citing legal action for the 2020 assassination of a revered general by U.S. drone, the state-run IRNA news agency reported Wednesday.

IRNA quoted Foreign Ministry spokesman Nasser Kanaani as saying Iran “strongly rejects any involvement in the recent armed attack on Trump or claims about Iran’s intention for such an action.”

Kanaani added, “The Islamic Republic of Iran is determined to pursue legal action against Trump for his direct role in the crime of assassinating Martyr General Qassem Soleimani.” Soleimani was the commander of the Iranian Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps’ Quds Force and was killed in a U.S. drone attack in Baghdad in January 2020.

A threat on Trump’s life from Iran prompted additional security in the days before Saturday’s campaign rally, but it was unrelated to the assassination attempt on the Republican presidential nominee, two U.S. officials said Tuesday.

Iran’s ambassador to the U.N., Amir Saeid Iravani, on Tuesday rejected the accusations against Tehran as “baseless” and “politically motivated.”