The assassination of President Mohammad-Ali Rajai and Prime Minister Mohammad-Javad Bahonar took place when a bomb detonated within the Prime Minister’s office in Tehran, Iran. This brutal attack occurred mere weeks after both leaders had assumed office following the death of President Abolhassan Banisadr. The perpetrators were linked to the People's Mujahedin of Iran, an opposition group that was fiercely critical of the new Islamic regime. The bombing not only killed the two officials but also several other high-ranking government officials, making it one of the deadliest attacks against Iranian leadership during this turbulent period.

At that time, Iran was still grappling with the aftershocks of the 1979 Islamic Revolution, which had overthrown the Shah and led to the establishment of a theocratic regime under Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini. The newly formed government was fraught with factional disputes and intense opposition from various groups, including the People's Mujahedin, who sought to assert a more secular agenda while opposing the prevailing clerical rule. The assassination reflected the extreme measures political groups were willing to undertake in the face of systemic repression, political chaos, and dissent.

The loss of Rajai and Bahonar also marked a significant turning point for the Iranian government, leading to further crackdowns on dissent and increased paranoia within the leadership. Khomeini's regime intensified its efforts to eliminate opposition, escalating a cycle of violence and repression that would characterize Iran for decades to come. This instance of targeted political assassination emphasized the fragility of the new regime and highlighted the turbulent nature of Iran's post-revolutionary landscape.