Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian sustained minor injuries during an Israeli airstrike on June 16, according to a report by the IRGC-affiliated Fars News Agency. The missile strike reportedly targeted a building in the western part of Tehran, where a high-level meeting of Iran’s Supreme National Security Council was underway.
The attack, according to Fars, was modeled on the assassination attempt against Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah in Beirut. Six missiles were fired at the building, aiming to destroy its entry and exit points, thereby cutting off escape routes and airflow. President Pezeshkian, along with other top Iranian officials, including Parliament Speaker Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf and Judiciary Chief Gholamhossein Mohseni Ejei, were present at the time.
Group managed to escape through emergency hatch
Reportedly, the officials were located on the lower levels of the building when the explosions occurred. The power to the floor was cut, but the group managed to escape through an emergency hatch that had been prepared in advance. Along with Pezeshkian, several other officials also suffered minor injuries during the evacuation.
The report also noted that Iranian authorities are investigating the possibility of an infiltrator, citing the precision of the Israeli strike.
‘They tried but they failed’
President Pezeshkian had previously accused Israel of attempting to assassinate him. In an interview with American commentator Tucker Carlson, he said, “They did try, yes…They acted accordingly, but they failed.”
Iran International had earlier reported that Israel had targeted an area near Shahrak-e Gharb in western Tehran on the same date, June 16. The strike occurred during a 12-day period of heightened conflict, during which several senior Iranian military officials, including IRGC commander Hossein Salami, Iranian Armed Forces Chief Mohammad Bagheri, and IRGC Air Force Commander Amir Ali Hajizadeh, were reportedly killed.
