In a shocking turn of events, Spanish politician Alejo Vidal-Quadras has accused Iran of being behind the attempted murder that left him with a double jaw fracture. Vidal-Quadras, a prominent figure in Spain's far-right Vox party, was shot in the face on November 9th by a motorbike pillion passenger in the wealthy Salamanca neighborhood of Madrid. While police have not yet confirmed any theory regarding the attack, Vidal-Quadras delivered a message to a conference organized by Iranian opposition supporters, stating that Iran was involved in the incident.

The 78-year-old politician has been a long-time advocate for Iran's opposition movement and campaigns for human rights in the country. However, he provided no evidence to support his claim against Iran. In response, the Iranian embassy in Madrid released a statement condemning any terrorist operation but did not specifically address Vidal-Quadras' accusations. Three individuals - a British woman and two Spanish men - were arrested on Tuesday in Andalusia as part of the investigation into the shooting. Police are now in the process of transferring them to Madrid for further questioning.

Vidal-Quadras called for a change in the European Union's policy toward Iran, urging them to avoid appeasement and concessions. Interestingly, in October 2022, Vidal-Quadras was included in an Iranian sanctions list in retaliation for European Union sanctions imposed on Iran following the death of Iranian-Kurdish woman Mahsa Amini in custody, which triggered nationwide protests. In a separate development, Spanish police have arrested three individuals in connection with the shooting. Two Spanish men and one British woman were apprehended, although none of them is suspected of firing the shot that struck Vidal-Quadras.

The attack is being investigated as a possible act of terrorism, with Iranian opposition groups pointing the finger at Tehran. Vidal-Quadras, a co-founder of Spain's Vox party, has a long history of supporting Iran's exiled political opposition. He has suggested to the police that his ties to these opposition groups may have made him a target. The Paris-based Iranian opposition group, Committee of the National Council of Resistance of Iran, has described Vidal-Quadras as a staunch ally and has accused the Iranian government of orchestrating the shooting.

While the investigation is ongoing, the arrested suspects' potential links to foreign countries are being examined. It should be noted that in January, Iran's Ministry of Foreign Affairs imposed sanctions on Vidal-Quadras and others associated with the exiled Iranian opposition group Mujahedeen-e-Khalq, accusing them of supporting terrorism. Vidal-Quadras' shooting took place in the upscale neighborhood of Salamanca in Madrid. He is currently recovering in a hospital and is reported to be making good progress.