Two men convicted for plotting to kill Alinejad

Two men have been found guilty for their role in a plot to kill Iranian dissident Masih Alinejad in New York City. The verdicts came from a jury in Manhattan and mark a significant step in a long-standing case involving threats against Alinejad, a journalist who has faced dangers since leaving Iran in 2009. Alinejad is a well-known critic of Iran's government, and U.S. officials have described attempts to harm her as part of retaliation efforts from Iranian authorities. The case is the first to go to trial involving such plots against her. The defendants, Rafat Amirov and Polad Omarov, are accused members of the Russian mob. Prosecutors said they were hired by a network linked to the Iranian regime, which included a high-ranking general in the Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps. Both men were convicted on five charges, including murder for hire and conspiracy. During the court proceedings, Amirov and Omarov remained silent as the jury delivered their verdicts. Afterward, they were taken away by authorities.