Two Iranian judges killed in attack

TEHRAN: Two judges were killed in a shooting attack on Saturday at the Supreme Court building in Tehran, Iranian state media reported.

“This morning, a gunman infiltrated the Supreme Court in a planned act of assassination of two brave and experienced judges. The two judges were martyred in the act,” the judiciary´s Mizan Online website reported.

Mizan said the assailant “killed himself” after the “terrorist” act.

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”.

Judiciary spokesman Asghar Jahangir said on state television later on Saturday that “a person armed with a handgun entered the room” of the two judges and shot them.

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.

Authorities said an investigation into the incident was launched, Mizan added.

President Masoud Pezeshkian expressed his condolences over the deaths, calling on the authorities to act swiftly.

“I strongly urge the security and law enforcement forces to take the necessary measures as soon as possible by examining the dimensions and angles of this reprehensible act and to identify its perpetrators,” he said.

Veteran judge Moghisseh, 68, was sanctioned in 2019 by the United States for having “overseen countless unfair trails, during which charges went unsubstantiated and evidence was disregarded”, 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.

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 murdered by two gunmen who climbed into his car in the middle of a busy business district in Tehran. Two men convicted over his killing were publicly executed by hanging two years later.