US State Department spokesperson Matthew Miller on Thursday said Washington hasn’t held “any discussions” with Islamabad about Pakistani national Asif Merchant’s indictment over his alleged involvement in an Iranian plot to assassinate US politicians and government officials.
Merchant, 46, sought to recruit people in the United States to carry out the plot in retaliation for the US killing of Iran’s Revolutionary Guards’ top commander Qassem Soleimani in 2020, according to a criminal complaint.
During a weekly press briefing on Thursday, Miller was asked whether the US has had any conversations with Pakistani authorities regarding Merchant’s indictment.
“I don’t have any discussions to speak to today, but we have been clear that the United States will continue to do what is necessary to protect its people, including foreign officials, from threats emanating from Iran,” Miller responded.
“That continues to be the case and beyond that, it’s really a matter that I should leave to the justice department.”
