Motive still unclear
Two Iranian judges shot dead
January 18, 2025 – 3:29 p.mReading time: 1 min.
An unknown assailant killed two judges in the Iranian capital. His exact motive is still unclear.
According to authorities, two Supreme Court judges were shot dead in the Iranian capital Tehran. A justice spokesman said on state television on Saturday that they were entrusted with national security cases such as espionage and counterterrorism. Another judge and his bodyguard were seriously injured in the attack. The attack therefore took place in front of the Supreme Court. The attacker then killed himself.
The motives for the crime initially remained unclear. The attacker had no case before the Supreme Court. However, a justice spokesman suggested that the crime could be connected to the judges’ cases. Over the past year, the judiciary has made extensive efforts to identify spies and terrorist groups, sparking anger and resentment among the Islamic Republic’s enemies, he said. State media described the incident as an “act of terrorism.”
State television reported that the cases involved people linked to Israel and the US-backed Iranian opposition. No details were given. The judges killed were reportedly mid-ranking Shiite clerics Mohammed Moghiseh and Ali Rasini. According to opposition websites, Moghiseh was involved in trials of people described as political prisoners. Rasini was the target of an assassination attempt in 1998.