Two judges shot dead at Iran's supreme court

"This morning, a gunman infiltrated the supreme court in a planned act of assassination of two brave and experienced judges. The two judges were martyred in the act," the judiciary's Mizan Online website reported.

Mizan said the assailant "killed himself" after the "terrorist" act.

State news agency IRNA said one other person was wounded.

Mizan identified the two slain judges as Ali Razini and Mohammad Moghisseh, both of whom handled cases "fighting crimes against national security, espionage and terrorism".

Judiciary spokesman Asghar Jahangir said on state television that "a person armed with a handgun entered the room" of the two judges and shot them.

"Individuals have been identified, summoned or arrested in connection with the incident," he added, without providing further details.

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 attack was underway, Mizan added.

President Masoud Pezeshkian expressed his condolences over the deaths, calling on the authorities to act swiftly.

"I strongly urge the security and law enforcement forces to take the necessary measures as soon as possible by examining the dimensions and angles of this reprehensible act and to identify its perpetrators," he said.

Veteran judge Moghisseh, 68, was sanctioned by the United States in 2019 for having "overseen countless unfair trials, during which charges went unsubstantiated and evidence was disregarded", according to the US Treasury.

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 in recent years.

In October, a Shiite Muslim preacher was shot dead in the southern city of Kazerun after leading Friday prayers.

In April 2023, a powerful cleric identified as Abbas Ali Soleimani was 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 of his killing were publicly hanged two years later.