Iran Makes Arrests in Death of Senior IRGC Colonel, Blamed on Israel

Authorities have arrested several people in connection with the assassination of a senior member of Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps (IRGC) that the Islamic Republic blamed on Israel, Iran’s judiciary announced on Tuesday.

Col. Hassan Sayad Khodayari, who is reported to have planned attacks on Israeli and Jewish targets throughout the world, was shot five times while sitting in his car by two people on motorcycles in May. The IRGC called it an assassination by “terrorist groups affiliated with global oppression and Zionism,” referring to Israel.

Days later, Col. Ali Esmailzadeh, who was close to Khodayari, died under mysterious circumstances. At least opne report said he was killed over suspicions he provided information that was used in the assassination attack on Khodayari. Israel has denied being involved in the deaths. At least six Iranian scientists and academics have been killed or attacked since 2010.

“Several people have been arrested in the case of the assassination of martyr Khodayari. The necessary legal orders have been issued for them and the case is under investigation,” judiciary spokesman Masoud Setayeshi told a news conference, Reuters reported.