Two prominent Iranian Supreme Court judges have been killed in an attack at the headquarters of the court, according to official judiciary sources.
The victims were identified as Ali Razini and Mohammad Moghiseh. A third judge was also wounded in the attack, which took place at Tehran's Palace of Justice.
The press service of Iran's judiciary reported that an armed individual had "infiltrated the Supreme Court in a planned act to assassinate two judges."
The motive for the attack is not clear.
Initial investigations found that the attacker did not have a case before the court, nor any other connections, the judiciary's press service reported.
The Supreme Court is the highest judicial authority in Iran, with its head appointed by the supreme leader. Headquartered in Tehran, it has branches throughout the country.
Details of the incident remain unclear. The judiciary's press service reported that the attacker "quickly committed suicide" after the shooting, although this has not been confirmed.
Other Iranian media reports stated that the perpetrator was a member of an "infiltrating security force" who first wounded a bodyguard with a knife, seized their weapon, and then carried out the assassinations.
Iran's semiofficial Mehr News Agency, citing an informed source, reported that the judges were shot with live rounds before the attacker committed suicide.
A courtroom sketch of Hamid Nouri, who is accused of involvement in the massacre of political prisoners in Iran in 1988, sitting with his attorney.
Both victims held significant positions in Iran's powerful judicial system. Judge Mohammad Moghiseh had presided over numerous political trials, including cases involving supporters of the 2009 opposition Green Movement. He was under sanctions from both the European Union and the United States for human rights violations.
Judge Ali Razini had served in many high-profile positions and had been accused by Iran's opposition of being involved in a series of extrajudicial killings of political prisoners in 1988.
Source: Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty
BDST: 1719 HRS, JAN 18, 2025
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