The Lawfare Podcast Lawfare Daily: Matt Olsen Talks Iran, the Justice Department, and FISA 702
Mar 12, 2026
Matt Olsen, former Assistant Attorney General for National Security and current WilmerHale partner, brings decades of counterterrorism experience. He discusses Iran's persistent terrorism and assassination efforts on U.S. soil. He warns about weakened DOJ and FBI capacity. He explains why Section 702 intelligence is crucial and the risks if it lapses.
AI Snips
Chapters
Transcript
Episode notes
Iran's Longstanding U.S. Assassination Program
- Iran maintains a long-term program to carry out assassinations and terrorist attacks inside the United States.
- Matt Olsen cites plots tied to retaliation for Qasem Soleimani and ongoing Iranian intent to target U.S. officials and dissidents.
Examples Of Iran-Directed Plots Prosecuted By DOJ
- DOJ prosecuted multiple Iranian-directed plots, including murder-for-hire schemes and an IRGC-trained operative sent to assassinate U.S. figures.
- Olsen lists four major cases (2021–2024) plus a recent guilty verdict for Asif Merchant and notes ~17 plots in five years.
Iran Cases Demand Long Covert Investigations
- Investigating Iranian plots requires long, covert, technically sophisticated probes and institutional judgment.
- Olsen emphasizes FISA surveillance, long-developed FBI sources, and patient covert investigations to map networks and leadership links.