Israeli Media: Colonel Siad Khodayee Was Involved in Assassination Operations
According to Israeli media, Colonel Siad Khodayee, who was assassinated in Tehran on June 21, played a role in a series of assassination operations against Israeli citizens and diplomats. It has been reported that he also held an “important role” in Iran’s military drone industry.
Israeli media outlets, citing unnamed sources, reported that the assassinated Quds Force colonel in Tehran was involved in planning kidnappings of Israeli citizens as well as attacks against Israel and Jewish centers around the world.
Iranian state news agencies reported on Sunday, June 21, the assassination of a Revolutionary Guards colonel by unidentified attackers. The name of this person was initially reported as “Hassan Siad Khodayari.” Shortly after, the Revolutionary Guards released a statement identifying the deceased as “Colonel Pasdar Siad Khodayee” and attributed his assassination to “agents affiliated with global arrogance.”
In these reports, Iranian media and the Guards’ statement referred to this colonel as a “haram defender” and noted that he was one of the commanders of the Quds Force, the extraterritorial branch of the Revolutionary Guards.
The “Times of Israel” website reported that an Iranian official told Al Jazeera television that the assassination of this commander was a “crossing of red lines” and that those responsible for this killing “will pay a heavy price.”
This Israeli media outlet noted that the method of assassination of this Guards colonel has increased the likelihood of a connection between this assassination and previous assassinations in Iran, such as the assassinations of nuclear scientists attributed to Israel, since in all these assassinations the attackers were on motorcycles.
The “Kan” website affiliated with Israeli state media reported that if suspicions of Israeli involvement in this assassination are true, it could represent a new level of Israeli operations against Iran, as Siad Khodayee was not involved in Iran’s nuclear program.
Israeli Channel 12 news network questioned Benny Gantz, the country’s defense minister, about this assassination, but he refrained from answering. Gantz, who is in New York, said: “The Israeli government is very strong. I don’t address every report published anywhere.”
Involvement in a Series of Assassination Operations
Israeli Channel 13 news network identified Siad Khodayee as one of the associates of Mansour Rasoulli. Mansour Rasoulli is someone whom Mossad claimed to have abducted in Tehran, interrogated, and then released. Israel had claimed that Rasoulli intended to carry out a series of assassination and kidnapping operations in Turkey, Germany, and France. According to Channel 13 Israel, Siad Khodayee had tasked Mansour Rasoulli with killing the Israeli consul in Istanbul.
Channel 12 Israel also reported that Siad Khodayee was behind operations that Shin Bet, Israel’s domestic security service, recently exposed. On May 19, Shin Bet announced that Iranian intelligence agents had attempted to lure Israeli academics and businessmen abroad. According to Israel’s domestic security service, Islamic Republic intelligence agents used fake identities on social networks for this purpose, often posing as academics, journalists, merchants, and philanthropists.
According to this report, Siad Khodayee was also behind operations aimed at assassinating five Israelis in Cyprus. According to Channel 12 Israel, Siad Khodayee had recently returned from Syria, where he worked under the supervision of Qassem Soleimani, the slain commander of the Quds Force.
An Iranian security source also stated that Siad Khodayee played an “important” role in Iran’s military industry, particularly in the field of drones.
Source: DW
