ERBIL, Kurdistan Region - Two prominent judges were killed in an armed attack at Tehran's Supreme Court on Saturday, with reports suggesting a third judge was targeted, Iranian state media reported.
“This morning, an armed person infiltrating the Supreme Court in a planned action attempted to assassinate two brave and experienced judges… Following this terrorist act, two serving judges - revolutionary and decisive in the face of those who undermined the security of the people - were martyred,” the Iranian judiciary’s media outlet Mizan reported.
Mizan said the attacker, who had no prior criminal record, killed themself while security forces tried to arrest them.
Three judges were targeted, according to Fars news agency, which is affiliated with the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC). Mohammad Moghiseh and Ali Razini were killed.
Razini survived a previous assassination attempt in 1999 when he was serving as chief justice for Tehran province. He was injured by a "magnetic bomb attached to his car,” according to Mizan, which has accused the United States and Israel of being behind the killings.
Moghiseh’s career began in the 1980s in Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Court. He initially worked at Qezel Hesar and later at Rajai Shahr, two of Iran’s harshest prisons located in Karaj, using the pseudonym “Naserian,” according to Mizan.
In 2022, he was transferred to the Supreme Court where he presided over some high profile cases including the prosecution of leaders of the persecuted Baha'i sect, as well as some protesters in 2009, and people facing charges of enmity against God, a common charge for protesters and political dissidents.
The widespread 2009 protests known as the Green Movement brought millions of people into the streets for months of demonstrations.
Moghiseh was sanctioned by the United States in 2019 for a "miscarriage of justice" against dual nationals and political prisoners, accused of violating their freedom of speech.
Updated at 4:00 PM.
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