ICYMI: Iranian-American Journalist Targeted On U.S. Soil For Second Time

(New York, N.Y.) — Last week, Iranian-American journalist and activist Masih Alinejad was targeted on U.S. soil for the second time. Law enforcement arrested Khalid Mehdiyev, who was said to be camped outside Alinejad’s Brooklyn home with a loaded AK-47 assault rifle for several hours, and peered into her home through its windows. The arrest comes days after Alinejad posted videos of support for Iranian mothers speaking out about the regime killing their sons and being forced to wear hijabs. Last July, four Iranian nationals attempted to lure Alinejad to a third country in order to kidnap and forcibly bring her back to Iran, after having extensively surveilled Alinejad and members of her family.  

In an interview on CNN’s New Day, Alinejad spoke directly and defiantly to the Iranian regime: “I’m not scared of you. I have only one life. You care about power. I care about my dignity and freedom like millions of other people inside of Iran. I’m not scared of you. You can kill me, but you cannot kill the idea. The idea is just fighting for freedom, dignity.”

United Against Nuclear Iran (UANI) CEO Ambassador Mark D. Wallace released the following statement in light of the recent events. 

“We applaud law enforcement for apprehending Alinejad’s would-be attacker. The threats and plots against Masih are intolerable, and we stand with her in solidarity. Mehdiyev should be fully investigated for any ties to the Iranian regime and its intelligence services. If there is a connection back to the Iranian regime, this will serve as yet another stark and telling reminder of the brutality of this regime. Americans will never accept elements of a hostile power threatening attacks on U.S. soil.”  

To read UANI’s resource Iran’s War On Journalism and Journalists, please click here. 

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