Mohammad Misbahi, the Friday Imam of Kazeroon, Killed in Assassination Attempt

Media affiliated with the Islamic Republic of Iran reported the killing of Mohammad Misbahi, the Friday Imam of Kazeroon, due to severe injuries sustained from an assassination attempt on Friday afternoon. The Mehr News Agency quoted Adel Hajipur, the head of the Policy Council of Friday Imams in Fars, stating that the Imam of Kazeroon 'despite the efforts of doctors and medical staff at Namazi Hospital in Shiraz' was killed. Government-affiliated news outlets reported hours earlier that Mohammad Misbahi was targeted in a 'gun attack' on Friday, November 4. Misbahi was severely injured and transferred to the hospital, with conflicting reports about his survival. The IRNA news agency quoted Mohammad Ali Bakhrad, the governor of Kazeroon, reporting that the assailant 'committed suicide' after the attack. Government-affiliated media have not yet reported on the possible motives of the assailant. This comes as Mohammad Khorsand, the former Imam of Kazeroon, was also targeted in a deadly assassination attempt in June 2019 outside his home, and the assailant was subsequently executed. Friday Imams in Iran are appointed by Ali Khamenei, the leader of the Islamic Republic, and often use their platform to promote government policies. Kazeroon is located in western Fars, approximately 160 kilometers from Shiraz. The killer of the Imam of Kazeroon was executed in public; human rights activists described this execution as 'brutal and hasty.'