In a tragic incident on Saturday, two prominent Iranian judges were fatally shot at the Supreme Court building in Tehran, according to state media reports. The attack, which authorities are calling a planned assassination, resulted in the deaths of Ali Razini and Mohammad Moghisseh, two judges known for their work on national security and terrorism cases. Following the shootings, the assailant reportedly took his own life, and one other person was injured in the attack.
The judiciary’s Mizan Online website described the two judges as “martyrs” for their dedicated service. Mizan identified the gunman as someone not involved in any cases before the Supreme Court, but provided no further details about the attacker’s identity or the motive behind the killings. Authorities have launched an investigation to gather more information on the incident. Judiciary spokesperson Asghar Jahangir confirmed that the assailant entered the room where the two judges were working and shot them both.
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Both judges were highly influential figures in Iran’s legal system. Razini, 71, had held several important judicial positions and survived an assassination attempt in 1998 when a bomb was planted in his car. Moghisseh, 68, had been sanctioned by the U.S. in 2019 for overseeing trials that were criticized for unfairness, including cases where charges were unproven and evidence was disregarded. His work in handling sensitive national security cases made him a target for certain factions.
While attacks targeting judges in Iran are uncommon, this incident highlights growing concerns over security for high-profile figures in the country. In recent years, there have been other incidents involving the shootings of prominent individuals, such as the October 2024 killing of a Shia preacher in Kazeroun, and the 2023 shooting death of cleric Abbas Ali Soleimani in Mazandaran. The 2005 murder of Judge Hassan Moghaddas, who was gunned down in Tehran, also underscores the risks faced by Iran’s judicial figures.
As authorities investigate this attack, the killings of these two esteemed judges have once again raised questions about security and the safety of high-ranking officials in Iran.