John Bolton ‘Embarrassed’ Iran Didn’t Offer More Money for His Murder: ‘I Thought It Would’ve Been Higher’
Former Trump National Security Advisor John Bolton joked on CNN Wednesday he is “embarrassed” Iranians didn’t value him enough to offer more money for his assassination.
Shahram Poursafi, also known as Mehdi Rezayi, was indicted in a plot to allegedly accept $300,000 in cryptocurrency for killing Bolton.
Poursafi is a member of Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps and remains at large.
The plot to kill Bolton was in part due to his praise of former President Donald Trump’s January 2020 drone strike in Iraq, which killed former Iranian Gen. Qassem Soleimani.
Bolton expressed gratitude online after the plot to murder him was announced.
“I wish to thank the Justice Dept for initiating the criminal proceeding unsealed today; the FBI for its diligence in discovering and tracking the Iranian regime’s criminal threat to American citizens; and the Secret Service for providing protection against Tehran’s efforts,” Bolton said in part.
I wish to thank the Justice Dept for initiating the criminal proceeding unsealed today; the FBI for its diligence in discovering and tracking the Iranian regime’s criminal threat to American citizens; and the Secret Service for providing protection against Tehran’s efforts. pic.twitter.com/QDjkX6gUWM
— John Bolton (@AmbJohnBolton) August 10, 2022
Wednesday evening, Bolton joined CNN’s The Situation Room, where he said he was surprised Iran had assessed his life as only worth $300,000.
Host Wolf Blitzer asked, “What goes through your mind, ambassador, hearing the details of this plot as explained today in great detail by the U.S. Justice Department?”
Bolton responded:
Well, I was embarrassed at the low price. I thought it would’ve been higher. But I guess maybe it was the exchange rate problem or something. I read the document with great interest. I had not seen it before. I was not aware of many of the specifics in it, although obviously I had long had a general understanding of what the threat was.
Watch above, via CNN.
