Iran Vows Revenge: “Israel Will Pay” for Attempt on President Pezeshkian’s Life
Iran accuses Israel of attempting to assassinate President Masoud Pezeshkian during a June 16 airstrike, launching an investigation into possible collaborators and vowing retaliation. The alleged attack, part of Operation Rising Lion, is seen as an Israeli effort to destabilize Tehran’s regime.
A senior Iranian official warned today that Israel would face severe consequences for an alleged assassination attempt on President Masoud Pezeshkian during Operation Rising Lion, a 12-day conflict that began June 13, 2025. The official, speaking to Al-Jazeera, announced that a wide-ranging investigation has been launched into the assassination attempt, with suspicions of collaboration by accomplices who may have assisted in its execution being closely examined, pointing to Israel’s precise intelligence as evidence of potential espionage.
The attack, reported by the IRGC-affiliated Fars News Agency, occurred on June 16, targeting a Supreme National Security Council meeting in Tehran’s Shahrak-e Gharb district, where Pezeshkian sustained minor leg injuries. Six missiles struck the building’s entry and exit points, a tactic reminiscent of Israel’s assassination of Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah in Beirut. “This attempt will not pass without Israel paying a price,” the official declared.
In a July 7 interview with US commentator Tucker Carlson, Pezeshkian accused Israel, stating, “They did try, yes. They acted accordingly, but they failed.” He clarified, “It was not the United States that was behind the attempt on my life. It was Israel. I was in a meeting… they tried to bombard the area in which we were holding that meeting.” Defiantly, he added, “God is the one who decides who lives and who dies. We are not afraid to become martyrs.” The official claimed the attack was part of a broader Israeli strategy to destabilize Iran’s regime. The strike cut power to the meeting’s floor, but Pezeshkian, Parliament Speaker Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf, and Judiciary Chief Gholam-Hossein Mohseni-Eje’i escaped via an emergency exit.
The war saw Israel target Iran’s nuclear facilities, killing over 900, including IRGC commanders and nuclear scientists, while Iran launched over 550 missiles, killing 30 in Israel. Social media posts on X amplified Iran’s threats, with one user stating, “Israel’s strike on Pezeshkian is a dangerous escalation.” No concrete evidence of the plot has been released, and Israel has not officially commented, though a senior official previously denied similar allegations. The investigation’s focus on collaborators suggests internal security concerns in Iran, with fears of moles within its ranks.