A Spanish Politician Claims the Iranian Government is Responsible for an Assassination Attempt on His Life

A right-wing Spanish politician, Alejandro Vidal Cuadras, accused the Islamic Republic of Iran on Friday, March 4, of being involved in an assassination attempt against him in November in Madrid. Cuadras, founder of the far-right party Vox in Spain and former president of the center-right People's Party in Catalonia, is considered a supporter of a group opposing the Iranian government. He was shot at by a motorcycle assailant near his home on November 18. The politician, who served as Vice President of the European Parliament from 2009 to 2014, stated at a press conference that he has no doubt that the 'Iranian regime' is responsible for this act. He added that Tehran has a history of 'extraterritorial terrorist activities' against 'dissidents and the foreigners who support them' without providing evidence for his claims. So far, four individuals have been arrested as part of the investigation into the assassination attempt, but the armed suspect, a French-Tunisian national with multiple convictions in France, remains at large. Spanish police have not commented on the possible motives behind the assassination attempt. Cuadras, who identified the Islamic Republic as responsible during police questioning after the shooting, described his survival as a 'miracle.' He recounted that he moved his head during the shooting, causing the bullet to enter one side of his jaw and exit the other, thus avoiding further injury to his head. He was hospitalized for a fractured jaw but was in stable condition. Cuadras credited the assistance of a passerby who used a piece of clothing to stop further bleeding as crucial to saving his life. He mentioned suffering from some side effects of the incident, including 'paralysis of some facial muscles.' Cuadras is a senior member of the International Committee in Search of Justice, which supports the National Council of Resistance of Iran. This committee has long urged the international community to take a tougher stance against the Iranian government. The National Council of Resistance of Iran, based in Paris and closely associated with the Mojahedin-e Khalq Organization, describes Cuadras as a 'staunch ally' and holds the Iranian regime responsible for the attack. Spanish police have not yet confirmed these allegations. Following the European Union's sanctions against the Islamic Republic after the death of Mahsa Amini in custody, the Iranian government placed Cuadras on its sanctions list last year. Amini's death sparked widespread protests across Iran. The Iranian sanctions against this former Spanish politician included a visa ban, prohibition of entry, and the seizure of any assets in Iran.