Iran's President Masoud Pezeshkian survived by a whisker, escaped with injured leg during 12-day war with Israel

Time of India

12 hours ago

Iranian President
Masoud Pezeshkian
had a narrow escape in a dramatic
Israeli airstrike
during the recent 12-day war.
How did Israel manage to target the Iranian president?
Israeli missiles hit a
Supreme National Security Council
meeting in Tehran on June 16, hurting
Iran's President Masoud Pezeshkian
slightly. Israel hit the Tehran conference with six missiles during the 12-day conflict in June, injuring Masoud Pezeshkian's leg and forcing him to flee through an emergency hatch.
by Taboola
by Taboola
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Undo
He escaped through an emergency hatch as missiles hit a high-level security meeting in Tehran. The news has shaken up Iran's political circles, raising fears of leaks from inside the government and more retaliation.
As political tensions rise and worries about spying in Iran's government grow, investigations are still going on.
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According to the Fars news agency, which is connected with the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, the revelation validated Mr. Pezeshkian's assertions in a recent interview that Israel attempted to kill him, as per a report by The Telegraph.
What exactly happened during the missile strike?
Fars claims that during the June 16 strike, Mr. Pezeshkian, 70, was hurt. Mohseni Ejei, a head of the judiciary, and parliamentary speaker Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf were also present during the meeting.
The bombing resembled the one that killed Hassan Nasrallah, the longtime head of Hezbollah, in Beirut, according to the agency.
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"The attack occurred before noon on Monday, June 16, while a meeting of the Supreme National Security Council was being held with the heads of the three branches of government and other senior officials in the lower floors of a building in western Tehran," the report stated.
"In order to obstruct escape routes and stop air flow, the attackers fired six bombs or missiles at the building's entrances and exits."
According to Fars, the attack also injured other people. They escaped through "an emergency hatch that had been planned in advance," it said, adding that "some officials, including the president, suffered minor injuries to their legs while leaving." "The electricity on the floor was cut off after the explosions," it continued, as per a report by The Telegraph.
Iran has attempted to enact a new emergency spy law that would impose harsher penalties, including the death penalty, and has arrested more than 700 people in connection with the war on suspicion of working with Israel.
In a June 16 Israeli airstrike near Shahrak-e-Gharb in western Tehran, Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps general Mohsen Rezaei said Israel hit six targets at the site of the Supreme National Security Council meeting without causing any damage or harm to any of its members.
Why are Iranian MPs criticizing Pezeshkian now?
Though he did not acknowledge being hurt, President Masoud Pezeshkian accused Israel of attempting to kill him in an interview with political analyst Tucker Carlson.
The president's willingness to cooperate with the International Atomic Energy Agency and his openness to renewed talks with the United States were criticized by Iranian MPs for allegedly undermining national security in this interview. The specifics of the attack have prompted investigations to identify a potential insider.
FAQs
Was Iran's president actually targeted by Israel?
Yes, Pezeshkian confirmed that he was targeted in an airstrike on June 16 and escaped with a leg injury.
How did he survive the missile attack?
After six missiles struck the building, he and other officials fled through a hidden emergency hatch.