An Iranian scientist, who American and Israeli intelligence have said led the countrys military nuclear program, was assassinated in an attack on Friday in northern Iran, state media reported.
Iranian state media reported that Mohsen Fakhrizadeh, who was believed to be 59, was shot and killed by armed terrorist elements while in a vehicle in the town of Absard and died in the hospital after doctors were unable to save him, The Associated Press reported based on state media.
Unfortunately, the medical team did not succeed in reviving (Fakhrizadeh), and a few minutes ago, this manager and scientist achieved the high status of martyrdom after years of effort and struggle, Irans armed forces said in a statement obtained by Reuters.
The military adviser to Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei promised to retaliate against Fakhrizadehs killers, tweeting We will strike as thunder at the killers of this oppressed martyr and will make them regret their action, according to Reuters.
Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif alleged there were serious indications of an Israeli role in the attack but did not provide specific evidence.
Terrorists murdered an eminent Iranian scientist today. This cowardicewith serious indications of Israeli roleshows desperate warmongering of perpetrators, Zarif wrote on Twitter, according to the AP.
Iranian media cited past comments made by Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin NetanyahuBenjamin (Bibi) NetanyahuMORE, who named Fakhrizadeh at a briefing and called on people to remember that name.
Western officials recognized Fakhrizadeh as Irans Robert Oppenheimer, the American scientist who created the atomic bomb in 1945, NBC News noted.
Fakhrizadeh was believed to be leading Irans nuclear program for two decades and kept working after the military effort quietly ended in the early 2000s, according to American intelligence, The New York Times reported.
The scientist was the top target of the Mossad, Israels intelligence service, which was widely acknowledged to have led the assassinations of scientists, including some of Fakhrizadehs deputies, 10 years ago.
Iran previously denied the U.N.s International Atomic Energy Agencys (IAEA) request to interview Fakhrizadeh, alleging he was only an academic who worked at the Imam Hussein University.
Iran has repeatedly denied it was developing a nuclear weapon, instead saying its work revolved around nonviolent goals. But an Israeli mission uncovered Iranian documents mentioning Fakhrizadeh and describing Project Amad, the name of Irans previous nuclear weapons program, according to The Times.
The alleged assassination comes as President TrumpDonald John TrumpVenezuela judge orders prison time for 6 American oil executivesTrump says he’ll leave White House if Biden declared winner of Electoral CollegeThe Memo: Biden faces tough road on pledge to heal nationMORE is in the last weeks of his presidency and was recently dissuaded from striking Iran by his senior advisers to halt its nuclear program, The Times reported earlier this month.
The attack could make it more difficult for President-elect Joe BidenJoe BidenTrump says he’ll leave White House if Biden declared winner of Electoral CollegeThe Memo: Biden faces tough road on pledge to heal nationUS records 2,300 COVID-19 deaths as pandemic rises with holidaysMORE to reenter the 2015 Iranian nuclear deal that Trump withdrew from two years ago and the former vice president has vowed to rejoin.