Two judges were shot dead and one injured on Saturday in a shooting attack outside the Supreme Court building in Tehran, reported Iranian state media.
Though the authorities tried to detain the attacker, he killed himself before they could restrain him. He reportedly acted alone in the attack.
“Three judges of the Supreme Court were targeted. Two of them were martyred and one was injured,” according to the the judiciary’s Mizan Online website.
Who are the 2 Iranian Supreme Court judges killed in Tehran?
The deceased judges were identified as ayatollahs Mohammad Moghiseh and Hojatoleslam Ali Razini.
Mohammed Moghiseh who had presided trials of political prisoners was the head of Branch 53. Ali Razini who was leading Branch 39 was targeted in a foiled assassination attempt in January 1999.
The identity of the third judge is yet to be revealed. He has been hospitalised and is undergoing treatment.
The authorities are trying to find a motive for the fatal shooting. The gunman was a staff member who was responsible for refreshments at the judiciary head office, reported Fars News, which is affiliated to the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC).
However, the Judiciary Media Centre said the attacker was an armed infiltrator who carried out a premeditated assassination.
Investigations revealed that the attacker did not have any direct link to the Supreme Court, its branches or its cases.
Three days ago, the Iranian Supreme Court upheld the death sentence of Kurdish woman activist Pakhshan Azizi, drawing criticism from several corners, including the United Nations. The Human Rights Council said the charges against Azizi could not be counted among the "most serious crimes" as she was arrested for supporting refugees in Iraq and Syria.