A Pakistani man accused of plotting to assassinate U.S. President Donald Trump told jurors on Wednesday that he was coerced by Iran into participating in the alleged scheme, according to media reports.

Asif Merchant, who is facing terrorism and murder-for-hire charges in a U.S. court, said he did not willingly collaborate with Iran’s powerful Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC). The New York Times reported that Merchant told the court he acted out of fear for the safety of his family in Tehran.

“I was not wanting to do this so willingly,” Merchant was quoted as saying during his testimony.

The U.S. Justice Department has accused Merchant of attempting to recruit individuals inside the United States to target Trump and other senior American politicians. Prosecutors say the alleged plan was intended as retaliation for the U.S. killing of IRGC commander Qassem Soleimani in 2020.

Merchant reportedly told the court that he was never explicitly ordered to kill a specific individual. However, he claimed that during conversations in Tehran, his Iranian handler mentioned three potential targets: Trump, then-President Joe Biden, and former U.N. ambassador Nikki Haley, who sought the Republican nomination in the 2024 presidential election.

Prosecutors have pushed back strongly against Merchant’s defense. In a letter to the judge dated Tuesday, they argued there was a “lack of evidentiary support for a true duress or coercion,” rejecting claims that he was forced into the alleged conspiracy.

Merchant’s legal team did not immediately comment on the reports, and the White House has also not issued a statement.

The trial began last week, shortly before Trump ordered joint U.S.-Israeli strikes on Iran that reportedly killed Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei and other senior officials.

In an interview with ABC News on Sunday, Trump referred to an alleged Iranian threat, saying, “I got him before he got me.”

Tehran has denied accusations that it sought to target Trump or other U.S. officials.

The case is unfolding against the backdrop of escalating tensions between Washington and Tehran, with legal proceedings expected to continue in the coming weeks.