Two judges were fatally shot on Saturday in a targeted attack at Iran’s Supreme Court in Tehran, state media reported.
According to Mizan Online, the judiciary’s official website, the assailant infiltrated the court with the intent of assassinating the two judges, Ali Razini and Mohammad Moghisseh, both of whom were known for their work on high-profile cases involving national security, espionage, and terrorism.
The attack took place in the morning, when the gunman entered the judges’ office and opened fire before taking his own life.
One other person was reported injured during the incident.
While the identity and motive of the attacker remain unclear, Mizan noted that he was not involved in any ongoing cases before the Supreme Court.
The two judges had significant roles within Iran’s judicial system. Moghisseh, 68, had been sanctioned by the United States in 2019 for overseeing trials that were criticized for lacking fairness.
Razini, 71, was previously targeted in a 1998 assassination attempt when a bomb was planted in his vehicle.
While shootings targeting judges are uncommon in Iran, the country has witnessed a series of high-profile killings in recent years, including the deaths of a Shiite Muslim preacher and a prominent cleric in separate incidents.
An investigation into the Supreme Court attack has been launched by Iranian authorities.
