Assassination and terrorism in Iran

Numerous civilians, including men, women, children, government officials, activists, secular intellectuals and clerics have been victims of assassination, terrorism, or violence against non-combatants, over the course of modern Iranian history.^[1] Among the most notable acts of terrorism in Iran in the 20th century have been the 1978 Cinema Rex fire and the 1990s chain murders of Iran.

Several Iranian prime ministers, president, and ministers were assassinated by militant groups during the 20th century. Some notable victims are Prime Ministers Mohammad Javad Bahonar, Shapour Bakhtiar, Amir-Abbas Hoveida, Abdolhossein Hazhir and Haj Ali Razmara; President Mohammad Ali Rajai; Head of Judiciary Mohammad Beheshti; Chief Commander of the Army Ali Sayad Shirazi; and Minister of Labor Dariush Forouhar.

Groups have taken responsibility for some attacks, in others a group or regime is suspected or has been accused of the attack by the victims, and in still others the perpetrator is unknown. Alleged or admitted perpetrators of the killings in Iran span a wide range, including Islamic fundamentalists/revivalists (Fadayan-e Islam, Jundallah, Cinema Rex fire, Taliban in a 1998 killing of Iranian diplomats in Afghanistan), Israel or other foreign enemies of the Islamic Republic's nuclear program (Assassination of Iranian nuclear scientists), unidentified anti-Shia extremists (2010 Chabahar suicide bombing, 1994 Imam Reza shrine bomb explosion), Islamist enemies of the Islamic Republic, possibly with help from foreign enemies (Haft-e Tir bombing), hardline supporters of the Islamic Republic (Chain murders of Iran).