Mohsen Fakhrizadeh was a Iran’s top nuclear scientist, who is shot dead in assassination near capital Tehran. Iran is accusing Israel of a role in the death of Fakhrizadeh, believed to be the head of Iran’s nuclear programme, after he was shot in an attack near the capital of Tehran.
Age
He was 59 years old.
Mohsen Fakhrizadeh Shot Dead
Iran’s top nuclear scientist, who American and Israeli intelligence have long charged was behind secret programs to design an atomic warhead, was shot and killed on Friday as he was traveling in a vehicle in northern Iran, Iranian state media reported.
The scientist, Mohsen Fakhrizadeh has been considered the driving force behind Iran’s nuclear weapons program for two decades, and continued to work after the main part of the effort was quietly disbanded in the early 2000s, according to American intelligence assessments and Iranian nuclear documents stolen by Israel.
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Three intelligence officials said that Israel was behind the attack on the scientist. It was unclear how much the United States may have known about the operation in advance, but the two nations are the closest of allies and have long shared intelligence regarding Iran. The White House declined to comment.
Mr. Fakhrizadeh was shot as his car was driving through the countryside town of Absard, in the Damavand region, according to official Iranian media and state television.The state media accounts said that Mr. Fakhrizadeh had been gravely wounded in the attack, and that doctors tried to save him in the hospital but could not.
Javad Zarif Statement
Iran’s Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif claimed there were indications of an Israeli role in the scientist’s death.
He demanded that Western nations, and particularly the European Union, condemn the ‘act of state terror’ immediately.
He wrote in a tweet: “Terrorists murdered an eminent Iranian scientist today.
“This cowardice—with serious indications of Israeli role—shows desperate warmongering of perpetrators Iran calls on int’l community—and especially EU—to end their shameful double standards & condemn this act of state terror.”
Terrorists murdered an eminent Iranian scientist today. This cowardice—with serious indications of Israeli role—shows desperate warmongering of perpetrators
Iran calls on int’l community—and especially EU—to end their shameful double standards & condemn this act of state terror.
— Javad Zarif (@JZarif) November 27, 2020
The Pentagon has declined to comment on the incident, Reuters reports.
Western officials and experts believe Fakhrizadeh played a pivotal role in suspected Iranian work on its nuclear programme in the past.
It is believed he was a key figure in developing the means to assemble a nuclear warhead behind the facade of a declared civilian uranium enrichment programme.
