In the bustling city of Berlin, amidst the chatter and clinking of glasses in a hotel cafe, one woman’s voice rises above the rest. Masih Alinejad, a fearless Iranian American human rights activist, sings at the top of her lungs in Farsi, her words echoing with defiance and determination.
As she translates the lyrics, “I blossom through my wounds and my scars, because I am a woman,” Alinejad’s powerful message rings loud and clear. She is a woman, and she will not be silenced.
Alinejad’s bold display of self-expression comes in the wake of shocking news – the disclosure of Iranian murder-for-hire plots to kill her and former U.S. President Donald Trump. Despite the threat to her life, Alinejad remains resolute in her fight for women’s rights in Iran.
“They want to get rid of me,” she says, referring to the Iranian government. “When they want me dead, it means that I’m doing something. I’m hurting them so bad. I’m echoing the voice of powerful women and that scares them.”
Alinejad’s unwavering determination is evident as she raises her hand in a defiant fist during our interview. She is in Berlin to celebrate the 35th anniversary of the fall of the Berlin Wall, alongside other human rights activists from around the world.
But the news of the Iranian government’s attempts to silence her only fuels her fire. “I’m more determined than ever to continue fighting for women’s rights in Iran,” she declares.
The U.S. Justice Department recently announced that a man had been charged with planning the assassination of Trump before the 2020 election. This man, Farhad Shakeri, is an accused Iranian government asset who has spent time in American prisons for robbery. He allegedly maintains a network of criminal associates enlisted by Tehran for surveillance and murder-for-hire plots.
Shakeri remains at large and is believed to be in Iran. Two other men, identified as Jonathan Loadholt and Carlisle Rivera, were arrested for their involvement in the plot. The Justice Department claims that Shakeri recruited them to follow and kill Alinejad, who has previously been targeted by Iranian murder-for-hire plots that were foiled by law enforcement.
According to the Justice Department, the two men spent months conducting surveillance on Alinejad and shared messages and photographs of their progress. In one voice note, Shakeri can be heard instructing Rivera to “wait and have patience” to catch Alinejad and “take care of it.”
“It’s scary,” Alinejad admits. “But at the same time, I was very pleased that U.S. law enforcement is protecting me.” She recounts her call with American security officials, where she learned that the same person who was trying to kill President Trump had also been assigned to kill her. “I mean, that’s a badge of honor,” she says with a defiant smile.
In response to the news, Esmail Baghaei, an Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesperson, rejected the report and called it a plot by Israel-linked circles to complicate Iran-U.S. relations, according to the official IRNA news agency.
Alinejad is a well-known figure on Farsi-language satellite channels abroad that critically view Iran. She has also worked as a contractor for U.S.-funded Voice of America’s Farsi-language network since 2015. Alinejad fled Iran after the country’s disputed 2009 presidential election and became a U.S. citizen in October 2019.
Despite living in the safety of the United States, Alinejad continues to be a thorn in the side of the Iranian government. She accuses them of oppressing women and enforcing the mandatory headscarf, or hijab, even two years after the death of Mahsa Amini, which sparked weeks-long mass protests.
The fact that the Iranian government has repeatedly tried to silence her only strengthens Alinejad’s resolve. “It makes me more determined to give voice to powerful women inside Iran who are facing the same killers every single day,” she says.
Alinejad’s bravery and determination serve as an inspiration to women around the world. She refuses to be silenced and continues to fight for the rights of women in Iran, despite the constant threat to her life.
As she sings in that Berlin hotel cafe, her voice ringing with defiance and strength, Alinejad reminds us all that we must never
