Mohsen Fakhrizadeh, the face of Iran’s controversial nuclear program, was killed in a clear offensive in Tehran’s eastern district on Friday. Photos from the scene showed the car’s shattered windshield and blood on the road.
“There are two things that people should put on their list: 1- to pursue atrocities and take revenge against those responsible for it. 2- to pursue scientific and technological activities in all areas of Shaheed Fakhrizadeh in which he was active,” Khamenei said in an account on Saturday. Kerela wrote in a tweet that he often held them accountable, putting a veil over the country’s nuclear activities.
He added: “In the defense of our country, our distinguished nuclear scientist, Mr. Mohsen Fakhrizadeh, was killed by oppressive enemies. This rare scientific mind lost its life for the greatest scientific work of all time. It lost its life for God and supreme leader. .God will reward him greatly. “
At a cabinet meeting on Saturday, Iranian President Hassan Rouhani said: “Think tanks and Iran’s enemies must know that the Iranian nation and officials in charge of the country are courageous and determined to respond to the killings in a timely manner.”
Rouhani and other senior officials had previously accused Israel of carrying out the killings, and vowed revenge.
In a statement released by the semi-official Fars news agency, Rouhani blamed Israel for the attack: The Iranian people are saddened by the loss of their lives. “
Iranian Foreign Minister Javad Zarif on Friday called the killing “cowardly” with serious indications of Israel’s role.
Iran has not provided any evidence of Israeli involvement. On Friday, the office of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu declined to comment to CNN.
In April 2018, Netanyahu mentioned Fakhrizadeh by name when he unveiled the nuclear archive when he said Israeli agents were smuggling out of Iran. He called him the head of a secret nuclear project called Project Amad. “Remember that name, Fakhrizadeh,” Netanyahu told reporters.
“I’m committing a major murder,” the American official said.
Fakhrizadeh was head of a new technology research center in the Revolutionary Guards, and for many years was a leading figure in Iran’s nuclear program.
The assassination could further escalate tensions between Tehran and Washington in the final weeks of US President Donald Trump’s term. US-Iran relations have deteriorated rapidly during Trump’s presidency.
A year after Trump pulled out of the deal and lifted disability sanctions on the country, Iran began withdrawing from commitments to the landmark nuclear deal in 2019-2015.
Trump on Friday retweeted a post by well-known Israeli journalist Yossi Melman, who wrote: “According to Iranian reports, Fakhrizadeh-Mahabadi was assassinated in Damavand, east of Tehran. He was the head of Iran’s secret military program and wanted by Mossad for many years. That’s a big mental and professional blow. “
Mossad is Israel’s foreign intelligence agency.
The Trump administration said it was keeping an eye on the apparent killings. A U.S. official told CNN that the death was “a big deal.”
Hezbollah in Lebanon, an Iranian-backed Lebanese terrorist group, also condemned the killings. Hezbollah’s second-in-command, Naim Qassim, said US and Israeli agents were behind the killings.
U.S. Fakhrizadeh has been cited in several reports by the State Department and the International Atomic Energy Agency as having a deep understanding of Iran’s nuclear capabilities.
CNN’s Remin Mostagim reports from Tehran, Angela Diwan reports from London and Samantha Beach from Atlanta.
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