In pictures: The FBI adds an Iranian Revolutionary Guard member to its most wanted list and reveals details

The US Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) announced the addition of a member of the Iranian Revolutionary Guard to the list of the most wanted persons in terrorism cases, revealing details about him and the role he plays.

This came in a statement from the FBI office in Washington, Tuesday, in which it said: “Today (Tuesday), the FBI added Shahram Poursafi, a member of the Iranian Revolutionary Guard, to the list of most wanted terrorists, and also issued posters requesting information about three of his associates. The allegations indicate that Poursafi sought, between October 2021 and April 2022, to orchestrate the assassination of former US government officials.”

The statement added: “According to court documents, Poursafi, also known as Mehdi Rezaei, allegedly attempted to hire someone to carry out the assassinations, likely in retaliation for the killing of Qassem Soleimani, commander of the Quds Force of the Iranian Revolutionary Guard, in January 2020. In his capacity as a Quds Force employee, Poursafi attempted to pay individuals within the United States $300,000 to carry out these assassinations. In a complaint filed in August 2022, Boursafi was charged with “using interstate commerce facilities to solicit murder for hire, as well as providing or attempting to provide material support for a cross-border assassination plot.”

The statement went on to mention that the FBI issued “three posters requesting information about individuals who are alleged to be officials in the Quds Force of the Iranian Revolutionary Guard, namely: Mohammad Reza Ansari, Abolfazl Ali Zadeh, and Mohammad Hossein Shamoradi Zadeh. Both Ali Zadeh and Shamoradi Zadeh hold the position of battalion commander in the Imam Ali Brigades of the Basij Forces, and they are allegedly involved in planning deadly operations, while Ansari holds the position of deputy in the unit.” 840, has provided support for Quds Force operations in Syria and, in cooperation with Boursafy, allegedly planned an attempted assassination of former US government officials.

The statement indicated that in June 2023, “the Office of Foreign Assets Control of the US Department of the Treasury included the names of Ansari and Poursafy on the sanctions list, for their work for the Quds Force of the Iranian Revolutionary Guard, and the ‘Rewards for Justice’ program of the US Department of State is offering a reward of up to $20 million for information leading to the arrest and conviction of Poursafy.”

The statement highlighted that "the Iranian Revolutionary Guard consists of five branches: the Air Force, the Ground Forces, the Navy, the Basij Forces, and the Quds Force. The Quds Force includes a unit known as Unit 840, which is responsible for developing and planning lethal operations. Before his death in April 2026, Asghar Bagheri, the commander in the Quds Force, was in command of this unit."