The US government has brought charges against an Afghan national in connection with an alleged plot to assassinate Donald Trump.

Suspect Farhad Shakeri - who's now on the run - claims he was tasked with “providing a plan” to murder Mr Trump before the US elections.

He is alleged to have told the FBI during a series of voluntary phone interviews that he was directed by an official in the Iranian Revolutionary Guard to formulate a plot to kill Mr Trump in September of this year.

Iran has rejected these claims.

The president-elect was briefed several weeks ago on a state-sponsored plot to kill him.

“We've been threatened very directly by Iran,” Mr Trump said.

"I think you have to let them know – because the best way to do it is through the office of the president – that you do any attacks on former presidents or candidates for president, your country gets blown to smithereens.”

Mr Trump has already faced two assassination attempts during his campaign run.