Key points
- Three judges of the Supreme Court were targeted on Saturday
- The assailant killed himself after the attack
- State news agency IRNA reported one other person was injured
- The judges were working on cases related to crimes against national security
TEHRAN, Iran: Two judges were killed in a shooting attack on Saturday at the Supreme Court building in Tehran, state media reported.
“Three judges of the Supreme Court were targeted. Two of them were martyred,” the Judiciary’s Mizan Online website reported, adding that the “assailant killed himself”.
State news agency IRNA also reported that one other person was injured in the attack.
Mizan identified the two slain judges as Ali Razini and Mohammad Moghisseh, adding that they worked on cases “fighting crimes against national security, espionage and terrorism”.
The motive behind their killing was not immediately clear, but Mizan said the assailant was not involved in any cases before the Supreme Court, without providing further details on the attacker’s identity.
Investigations launched
Authorities said an investigation into the incident was launched, Mizan added.
Veteran judge Moghisseh, 68, was sanctioned in 2019 by the United States, according to the US Department of the Treasury.
Razini, 71, held several important positions in Iran’s judiciary and was previously targeted in a 1998 assassination attempt by assailants “who planted a magnetic bomb in his vehicle”, according to Mizan.
Shootings in Iran
Though attacks targeting judges are rare, Iran has seen a number of shootings targeting high-profile figures over the past years.
In October, a preacher was shot dead in the southern city of Kazeroun after leading Friday prayers.
In April 2023, a powerful cleric identified as Abbas Ali Soleimani was also shot dead at a bank in the northern province of Mazandaran.
And in August 2005, renowned Iranian judge Hassan Moghaddas was killed by two gunmen who climbed into his car in the middle of a busy business district in Tehran.
