Two Iranian Supreme Court judges were shot dead in Tehran on Saturday and another judge was wounded, the judiciary’s Mizan news website reported.
It said the attacker killed himself after opening fire at the judges outside the Supreme Court. Iranian media said a bodyguard of one of judges was also wounded.
The motive for the assassination was unclear.
The judiciary identified the judges who were killed as ayatollahs Mohammad Moghiseh and Ali Razini, who worked on cases “fighting crimes against national security, espionage and terrorism”.
The motive behind their killing was not immediately clear, but Mizan said the assailant was not involved in any cases before the Supreme Court, without providing further details on the attacker’s identity.
Authorities said an investigation into the incident was launched, Mizan added.
Razini, 71, held several important positions in Iran’s judiciary and was previously targeted in a 1998 assassination attempt by assailants “who planted a magnetic bomb in his vehicle”, according to Mizan.
Though attacks targeting judges are rare, Iran has seen a number of shootings targeting high-profile figures over the past years.
In October, a Muslim preacher was shot dead in the southern city of Kazeroun after leading Friday prayers.
In April 2023, a powerful cleric identified as Abbas Ali Soleimani was also shot dead at a bank in the northern province of Mazandaran.
And in August 2005, renowned Iranian judge Hassan Moghaddas was murdered by two gunmen who climbed into his car in the middle of a busy business district in Tehran.
Two men convicted over his killing were publicly executed by hanging two years later.
