Iran accuses Israel of killing Revolutionary Guard colonel
Tehran, May 30 (EFE).- Iran on Monday accused Israel of killing a colonel of the Iranian Revolutionary Guards (IRGC), head of the military body Hossein Salami said.
“The martyrs assassinated by Zionists have a higher status because they have been killed by the worst people on earth,” Iranian news agency Irna quoted Salami as saying while visiting the late colonel’s family.
Salami said that the “foes” had chased Colonel Hassan Sayyad Khodaei for years until they shot him dead outside his house on May 22.
“The foes chased him door to door from the heart of the White House and Tel Aviv for years until they martyred him in a corner in Tehran,” the top commander explained.
“God willing, we will avenge his death,” Salami stressed.
Khodaei was shot five times while he was in his car outside his house. Two alleged perpetrators then fled on a motorcycle.
He had served in Syria as part of the Quds Force, the body responsible for the IRGC operations on foreign soil.
Iran had blamed the assassination on “world arrogance,” a term used for the United States and its allies, such as Israel.
But Israel has told the United States that it was behind the assassination of Khodaie, the New York Times cited an intelligence official speaking on condition of anonymity.
The assassination was a “warning to Iran to halt the operations of a covert group within the Quds Force known as Unit 840,” the newspaper said.
Iran has repeatedly accused Israel of carrying out assassinations against members of its security forces and nuclear scientists, as well as trying to sabotage Iranian facilities.
The assassination came as negotiations to salvage the 2015 nuclear pact are making progress after being on hold since mid-March.EFE
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