Friday Prayer Imam in Kazeroun Shot Dead, Marking Third Killing Since 1979
In a tragic development in Kazeroun, a southwestern Iranian town, Hojjatoleslam Mohammad Mesbahi, the local Friday prayer leader, was fatally shot after concluding prayers. Reports confirm that Mesbahi was attacked by an armed assailant shortly after leading the congregation. Despite being rushed to Namazi Hospital in Shiraz, Mesbahi succumbed to his injuries, making him the third prayer leader in Kazeroun to be killed since Iran's 1979 Islamic Revolution. Kazeroun's governor, Mohammad Ali Bekhrad, publicly addressed the incident, noting that investigations are underway but refraining from describing Mesbahi's death as a "martyrdom," a term typically used in Iran for religious or politically motivated deaths. Instead, officials have hinted that personal motives could be behind this tragic attack, a suggestion that distances the incident from potential ideological conflicts or terrorism.
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As investigations proceed, Iranian media sources provide a complex picture. While initial reports claimed the attacker committed suicide following the shooting, others say he was critically injured and remains under observation. Details about the assailant’s identity also vary. Early reports indicated he was a war veteran, an idea strongly disputed by Mehdi Mazarei, head of the local Martyrs Foundation, and Mizan News, which is affiliated with Iran’s judiciary. Both sources clarified that the assailant has a history of criminal activity rather than a military background. According to Mizan News, the shooter’s past includes a history of violence, including a bombing attempt two decades ago, for which he served a prison term.
Mesbahi's role in Kazeroun began in 2019, following nearly a decade of service in the town of Kharameh. His tenure echoes that of two previous Kazeroun imams who faced similar tragic fates. In 2019, Mohammad Khorsand, then the Friday Imam, was stabbed to death by an assailant while returning from a Ramadan prayer service. His attacker was quickly apprehended and later executed following a swift legal process. The first killing dates back to 1981, when Abdolrahim Daneshjou, the town’s Friday Imam at the time, was assassinated near his home, with the state attributing the attack to members of the People’s Mujahedin Organization of Iran (MEK).
These events in Kazeroun have cast a shadow over the town, highlighting an unsettling history of violence against religious leaders. With many questions remaining unanswered, the Iranian public and local officials now await further details from ongoing investigations to shed light on the motivations behind this disturbing attack.
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