Rashid Islam Pasdaran, “Ali Kamani”, a member of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) Aerospace Unit, died in a car accident in Khomein city on Sunday, leading to speculation that he is the latest casualty in a series of hits attributed to the Mossad against key Iranian officials.
The IRGC stated Sunday that “after years of tireless and sincere efforts to protect the revolution and Islamic values, serving the Islamic system and homeland, during the mission, he achieved the grace of martyrdom and joined the great multitude of martyrs.”
The term “martyr” is usually used for soldiers killed in combat against the infidel.
The statement said just that he was killed in a car accident and did not explain the nature of the “mission” during which he died.
The Aerospace Unit oversees Iran’s missile production.
Hours after the first announcement, Mohammad Abdous, an employee of the Semnan Air Defense Base in northern Iran, was declared as being “martyred” on Sunday, also “during a mission.”
Semnan base focuses on the development of satellites, ballistic missiles, and drones.
This report came just days after another senior Iranian official, aerospace scientist Ayoob Entezari, died, and was reportedly poisoned during a dinner meeting he was invited to. He worked in Iran’s drone development program, a field in which Iran has made significant progress in recent years, causing alarm in Israel.
Reports of Entezari’s death came a day after Iran confirmed the death of IRGC Colonel Ali Esmailzadeh, the second officer from Unit 840 to die in two weeks.
Iranian media stated that Esmailzadeh died “in an incident in recent days” at his home. Iran International quoted sources in Iran who reported that the IRGC killed him over suspicions of espionage for Israel.
He was a close colleague of Colonel Hassan Sayyad Khodayari, the acting commander of the elite Qods Unit 840, who was shot dead outside his home in Tehran on May 22. The sources said that the IRGC became suspicious that Esmailzadeh divulged information about his Khodayari and decided to punish him.
Unit 840 function is to serve as an assassination and terrorism unit abroad.
Israeli analyst Yoni Ben Menachem, of the Jerusalem Center for Public Affairs (JCPA), has warned that Iran’s revenge will come.
The Mossad’s new strategy of creating confusion and demoralization in Iran in addition to the intelligence and operational achievements is so far working, he said.
However, senior security officials are warning against “entering complacency” and say that “Iranian revenge against Israel will come and that it is only a matter of time.”
The Iranians are determined to avenge the deaths of nuclear scientist Mohsen Fakhrizada and Khodayari, “this is the direct order of Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei.”
“The Iranian leadership is stressed, it feels that Israel has achievements in the secret war that are hurting Iranian morale and it is looking for a quick way to restore its deterrence against Israel,” he warned.
Israel’s defense establishment is closely monitoring Iran’s official threats for revenge.
Israel has stepped up alertness and security in all Jewish and Israeli institutions around the world following Iran’s threats to retaliate against Israel over the assassinations.
Chief Commander of the IRGC Hossein Salami said last month that the IRGC will avenge the deaths of its members.
“No evil act by the enemy will be left unanswered,” and the revenge for Khodayari’s assassination “will be tough and make the perpetrators regretful,” he warned.
