Iranian Foreign Minister Seyed Abbas Araghchi denied US charges Saturday alleging Iran’s involvement in a plot to assassinate president-elect Donald Trump before the US presidential election.

According to the charges announced by the US Department of Justice (DOJ) on Friday, Iranian national Farhad Shakeri, 51, was tasked by the Iranian government with surveilling and plotting to assassinate a US citizen. Shakeri, who resides in Tehran, allegedly hired a network of associates he met while serving time in prison in the US to carry out the plot. He was formally charged with murder-for-hire, conspiracy to commit murder-for-hire, and money laundering conspiracy.

“A new scenario is fabricated,” commented Araghchi. “A killer does not exist in reality.” He ridiculed the DOJ’s allegation that the crimes were committed from Tehran and described it as a “third-rate comedy” manufactured by screenwriters.

The statement comes amidst allegations of Iranian interference in the US presidential election. Apart from the allegation of the plot of assassination, Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) was accused of undermining Trump’s presidential campaign by planning a hack-and-leak operation.

Despite the vehement denial, Araghchi expressed hopes for building more amicable relationships with the US. “Iran respects [the American people’s] right to elect the President of their choice. The path forward is also a choice. It begins with respect,” he said. “Confidence-building is needed from both sides. It is not a one-way street.”