2 More Iranian Officials Reportedly Die in Unusual Circumstances
Two more high-level Iranian officials, a scientist and a colonel in the elite Quds Force of Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, have died in the last week.
The death of Col. Ali Esmailzadeh was reported for the first time on Friday. The official IRNA news agency said Friday that Esmailzadeh died during an “incident in his residence” several days ago in the city of Karaj. Other reports said he fell off his roof. His death comes days after the assassination of IRGC Col. Hassan Sayad Khodayari on the street outside his home in Tehran. At least one report said Esmailzadeh, who was close to Khodayari, was killed over suspicions he provided information was used in the assassination attack.
Meanwhile, Iranian scientist Ayoob Entezari, who worked on missiles and drones at a research and development center, died on Mat 31, according to a weekend report. While some reports said that Entezari died of an unspecified illness or of food poisoning, at least one report said he died after being intentionally poisoned at a dinner party; the host of the dinner party reportedly has since fled the country.
Israel has denied being involved in the deaths and has raised the travel alert for Israelis traveling abroad out of fear of retaliatory attacks.
