In a high-profile hearing before Spain’s National Court, former European Parliament Vice President Dr. Alejo Vidal-Quadras reaffirmed under oath that the Iranian regime was responsible for the attempted assassination he survived in Madrid on November 9, 2023. The declaration was made as part of an ongoing terrorism investigation overseen by Judge Santiago Pedraz.
As reported by both RTVE Noticias and EFE, Dr. Vidal-Quadras stated that his longtime support for the Iranian Resistance and outspoken opposition to the clerical regime in Tehran made him a target. “I have defended the Iranian opposition for years. That’s why my name appears on the regime’s list of enemies,” he told the judge, referring to official sanctions issued by Iran in 2022.
The assassination attempt took place in broad daylight near his home, after he returned from a walk in Madrid’s Retiro Park. “A man said to me, ‘Hello, sir,’ and then I felt the bullet hit my face,” Vidal-Quadras told the court. He lost consciousness and awoke four days later in intensive care. The bullet caused permanent nerve damage, partial facial paralysis, and 40% hearing loss. He also continues to receive treatment for post-traumatic stress.
How Prof Vidal Quadras Landed on Tehran’s Hit List
On Oct 26, 2022, the #Iran regime’s Ministry of FA officially blacklisted Dr. Vidal Quadras because of his long-standing support for the Iranian Resistance & efforts to expose Tehran's malign activities.https://t.co/E4r5NyVRb4— NCRI-U.S. Rep Office (@NCRIUS) November 14, 2023
The suspected shooter, a 38-year-old French national of Tunisian origin, is currently held in the Netherlands. He was arrested in Haarlem while allegedly preparing another assassination attempt—this time against an Iranian journalist critical of the regime. Spanish police and international authorities suspect ties between the shooter and the Mocro Maffia, a violent Dutch-Moroccan criminal network believed to be subcontracted by the Iranian regime.
According to RTVE, Dr. Vidal-Quadras reiterated outside the courtroom that “all evidence increasingly points to Iran,” citing the pattern of Tehran’s extraterritorial assassinations since 2018. Despite the trauma, he vowed to continue his advocacy: “I will go forward with even greater energy, motivation, and commitment.”
Eight people have been arrested so far in connection with the attack, including individuals in France, Spain, Venezuela, and the Netherlands. The mastermind remains at large and is the subject of an international arrest warrant.
#Iran News: Spanish Outlet Reports European Probe into Regime’s Attack on Dr. @VidalQuadrashttps://t.co/Qwx2iSnUxH
— NCRI-FAC (@iran_policy) April 8, 2025
This case has reignited scrutiny of the Iranian regime’s campaign of state-sponsored terrorism in Europe, particularly its targeting of opposition figures and Western politicians aligned with the National Council of Resistance of Iran (NCRI). Dr. Vidal-Quadras, who chairs the International Committee in Search of Justice (ISJ), has been a key ally of the NCRI and a persistent critic of Tehran’s human rights abuses.
As investigations continue, Dr. Vidal-Quadras’ case has become a stark reminder of the clerical regime’s reach—and of Europe’s growing confrontation with its state-backed violence.