Scientist Seen As Architect Of Iran’s Nuclear Program Assassinated

Mohsen Fakhrizadeh was injured after gunmen fired at his car and
he died later in hospital, Iranian state media reported.

There are “serious indications” that Israel was involved in the
killing of a senior Iranian nuclear scientist, Iran’s foreign
minister has said.

Mohsen Fakhrizadeh was injured after gunmen fired at his car and
he died later in hospital, Iranian state media reported.

“Unfortunately, the medical team did not succeed in reviving
him, and a few minutes ago, this manager and scientist achieved the
high status of martyrdom after years of effort and struggle,” a
statement by Iran’s armed forces said.

Iran’s foreign minister Mohammad Javad Zarif said: “Terrorists
murdered an eminent Iranian scientist today. This cowardice – with
serious indications of Israeli role – shows desperate warmongering
of perpetrators.”

Iranian defence minister Brigadier General Amir Hatami said the
assassination displayed “the depth of enemies’ hatred” towards the
country.

He tweeted: “Iran calls on int’l community-and especially EU-to
end their shameful double standards & condemn this act of state
terror.”

Israel has long alleged that Mr Fakhrizadeh had led a military
nuclear programme in the early 2000s, but the country declined to
comment following the news on Friday.

The attack happened in Absard, a small city just east of the
capital Tehran, according to the semi-official Fars news agency,
which is believed to be close to the Revolutionary Guard.

State television said a truck with explosives hidden under a
pile of wood blew up near a car that was carrying Mr
Fakhrizadeh.

As the car stopped, at least five gunmen emerged and shot at the
vehicle, the semi-official Tasnim news agency said.

Pictures and videos circulating online showed a Nissan saloon
car with bullet holes through the windshield and blood stains on
the road.

Those injured in the attack, including the nuclear scientist’s
bodyguards, were later taken to a local hospital, the agency
said.

While no group has immediately claimed responsibility of the
attack, Iranian media has noted the interest that Israeli prime
minister Benjamin Netanyahu had previously shown in the nuclear
scientist.

Mr Netanyahu called him out in a news conference in 2018,
saying, “Remember that name”, in reference to Mr Fakhrizadeh.

State television cited sources confirming the death on Friday
and said it would offer more information shortly.

It published a photo of security forces blocking off the road
where the attack took place on its website.

Hossein Salami, chief commander of the paramilitary guard,
appeared to acknowledge the attack on Mr Fakhrizadeh.

“Assassinating nuclear scientists is the most violent
confrontation to prevent us from reaching modern science,” he
tweeted.

Meanwhile, Hossein Dehghan, an adviser to Iran’s supreme leader
and a presidential candidate in Iran’s 2021 election, issued a
warning on Twitter.

“In the last days of their gambling ally’s political life, the
Zionists seek to intensify and increase pressure on Iran to wage a
full-blown war,” Mr Dehghan wrote, appearing to refer to President
Donald Trump.

He added: “We will descend like lightning on the killers of this
oppressed martyr and we will make them regret their actions!”

Mr Fakhrizadeh led Iran’s Amad programme that Israel and the
West alleged was a military operation looking at the feasibility of
building a nuclear weapon.

He is also the only Iranian scientist named in the International
Atomic Energy Agency’s 2015 “final assessment” of open questions
about Iran’s nuclear programme and whether it was aimed at
developing a nuclear bomb.

Tehran has long insisted its nuclear programme is peaceful.

The IAEA claims the Amad programme was halted in 2003 and its
inspectors now monitor Iranian nuclear sites as part of the
country’s now-unravelling nuclear deal with world powers.

Mohsen Fakhrizadeh was injured after gunmen fired at his car and
he died later in hospital, Iranian state media reported.

There are “serious indications” that Israel was involved in the
killing of a senior Iranian nuclear scientist, Iran’s foreign
minister has said.

Mohsen Fakhrizadeh was injured after gunmen fired at his car and
he died later in hospital, Iranian state media reported.

“Unfortunately, the medical team did not succeed in reviving
him, and a few minutes ago, this manager and scientist achieved the
high status of martyrdom after years of effort and struggle,” a
statement by Iran’s armed forces said.

Iran’s foreign minister Mohammad Javad Zarif said: “Terrorists
murdered an eminent Iranian scientist today. This cowardice – with
serious indications of Israeli role – shows desperate warmongering
of perpetrators.”

Iranian defence minister Brigadier General Amir Hatami said the
assassination displayed “the depth of enemies’ hatred” towards the
country.

He tweeted: “Iran calls on int’l community-and especially EU-to
end their shameful double standards & condemn this act of state
terror.”

Israel has long alleged that Mr Fakhrizadeh had led a military
nuclear programme in the early 2000s, but the country declined to
comment following the news on Friday.

The attack happened in Absard, a small city just east of the
capital Tehran, according to the semi-official Fars news agency,
which is believed to be close to the Revolutionary Guard.

State television said a truck with explosives hidden under a
pile of wood blew up near a car that was carrying Mr
Fakhrizadeh.

As the car stopped, at least five gunmen emerged and shot at the
vehicle, the semi-official Tasnim news agency said.

Pictures and videos circulating online showed a Nissan saloon
car with bullet holes through the windshield and blood stains on
the road.

Those injured in the attack, including the nuclear scientist’s
bodyguards, were later taken to a local hospital, the agency
said.

While no group has immediately claimed responsibility of the
attack, Iranian media has noted the interest that Israeli prime
minister Benjamin Netanyahu had previously shown in the nuclear
scientist.

Mr Netanyahu called him out in a news conference in 2018,
saying, “Remember that name”, in reference to Mr Fakhrizadeh.

State television cited sources confirming the death on Friday
and said it would offer more information shortly.

It published a photo of security forces blocking off the road
where the attack took place on its website.

Hossein Salami, chief commander of the paramilitary guard,
appeared to acknowledge the attack on Mr Fakhrizadeh.

“Assassinating nuclear scientists is the most violent
confrontation to prevent us from reaching modern science,” he
tweeted.

Meanwhile, Hossein Dehghan, an adviser to Iran’s supreme leader
and a presidential candidate in Iran’s 2021 election, issued a
warning on Twitter.

“In the last days of their gambling ally’s political life, the
Zionists seek to intensify and increase pressure on Iran to wage a
full-blown war,” Mr Dehghan wrote, appearing to refer to President
Donald Trump.

He added: “We will descend like lightning on the killers of this
oppressed martyr and we will make them regret their actions!”

Mr Fakhrizadeh led Iran’s Amad programme that Israel and the
West alleged was a military operation looking at the feasibility of
building a nuclear weapon.

He is also the only Iranian scientist named in the International
Atomic Energy Agency’s 2015 “final assessment” of open questions
about Iran’s nuclear programme and whether it was aimed at
developing a nuclear bomb.

Tehran has long insisted its nuclear programme is peaceful.

The IAEA claims the Amad programme was halted in 2003 and its
inspectors now monitor Iranian nuclear sites as part of the
country’s now-unravelling nuclear deal with world powers.