In a significant legal decision, two men received a 25-year prison sentence each for their roles in a plot to assassinate Iranian-American journalist Masih Alinejad. This verdict was delivered by a federal judge on Wednesday, marking a pivotal moment in the high-profile case.

Judge Colleen McMahon handed down the 300-month sentences to Rafat Amirov and Polad Omarov. Their convictions included charges of murder for hire, conspiracy to commit murder for hire, money laundering, and firearm possession related to the attempted assassination.

Following the sentencing, Alinejad addressed the media outside the Manhattan courthouse. She emphasized that her only “crime” was amplifying the voices of Iranian women. Alinejad expressed how the plot against her life was treated as a mere transaction, causing her personal upheaval. She highlighted her resilience, stating that she is brave and strong, and urged the judge to demonstrate to the women of Iran that the U.S. stands in solidarity with them.

Speaking alongside her, Alinejad’s husband condemned the actions of the defendants, describing their intent as driven by “pure malice.”

Amidst supporters and friends, Masih Alinejad was seen outside the federal courthouse after providing testimony against the men accused of plotting her murder. The scene unfolded in New York on March 18, 2025, capturing the gravity of the situation. (AP Photo/Seth Wenig)

The two men were convicted in May of accepting $500,000 from the Iranian government and hiring a hitman to kill Alinejad at her home in Brooklyn in July 2022. Authorities foiled the plot, however, arresting the alleged armed hitman, Khalid Mehdiyev, outside Alinejad’s home.

Mehdiyev is being tried in a separate case, and he testified against Amirov and Omarov in their trials. He testified that Amirov offered him $30,000 to kill “the journalist” as he referred to Alinejad during testimony.

Masih Alinejad fled from Iran to the U.S. in 2009. (Fox News Photo/Joshua Comins)

Mehdiyev pleaded guilty to attempted murder and gun charges in his case. He faces up to 15 years in prison.

U.S. officials say Alinejad has survived multiple attempts on her life since fleeing Iran in 2009, according to the New York Post.

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