Iranian IRGC officers 'martyred' amid simmering tensions with Israel
The deaths followed the assassination three weeks ago of an IRGC colonel, which Tehran has blamed on Israel.
Two officers from aerospace units within Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) and the country's Defense Ministry have been killed, according to official statements by the two institutions.
Identified as Ali Kamani and Mohammad Abdous, the men died in separate incidents in Markazi and Semnan provinces, respectively. Providing few details, the statements confirmed that the pair were "martyred while on duty."
Aerospace departments in both organizations are closely involved in Iran's controversial missile program, considered by Western powers and Israel as a growing threat to regional and global security.
The "martyr" designation and the nature of the coverage of the deaths fueled speculation of an Israeli role, particularly as they followed a chain of recent similar attacks in which the Islamic Republic has implicated its archenemy.
