Iranian Revolutionary Guard Colonel ‘assassinated’ in Tehran

Colonel Hassan Sayyad Khodaei, a high-ranking member of Iran’s Revolutionary Guard has been killed in Tehran

According to the Tasnim News Agency, Colonel Hassan Sayyad Khodaei, a high-ranking member of Iran’s Revolutionary Guard has been gunned down outside his home in Tehran on Sunday, May 22. They claimed that he was killed in an attack by two assailants on a motorbike, who shot him five times then quickly fled the scene.

Shortly after the shooting, members of an Israeli intelligence network were arrested, added the news outlet, which is believed to be linked to the Revolutionary Guard.

Islamic Republic News Agency reported that Ebrahim Raisi, the President of Iran has vowed to take revenge for the attack. Without mentioning either Israel or the US, the shooting was blamed on ‘global arrogance’, a term normally used in reference to the two nations.

Raisi is said to have commented that frustrations were starting to show from those defeated on the battlefield. It is thought he was referring to ongoing fighting between Iranian-backed Shia militias and the US military in Iraq.

“I urge security authorities to follow up the issue and I’m of no doubt that seeking revenge on criminals for the blood of the great martyr is definite”, Mr Raisi said. 

A tweet from the Nour News Website read: “The terrorist act in Tehran on Sunday and the martyrdom of Revolutionary Guards Colonel #HassanSayyadKhodaie is crossing the red line without calculation, that is going to change many equations. The perpetrators of this crime will pay a heavy price”.

Very little information has been made available about the deceased, but when described as a ‘defender of the shrine’, this usually implies that he would have been involved with the elite Revolutionary Guard Quds unit. This force specialises in foreign operations such as those against Islamic State in Syria and Iraq.

Previous attacks on Iranian scientists and officials have historically been blamed on America or Israel, although the Israeli government has a long-standing policy of neither denying nor confirming its military operations.

___________________________________________________________

Thank you for taking the time to read this article, do remember to come back and check The Euro Weekly News website for all your up-to-date local and international news stories and remember, you can also follow us on Facebook and Instagram.