On Friday, Iran's Defense Ministry confirmed that top scientist Mohsen Fakhrizadeh head of Organization of Defensive Innovation and Research (SPND), was targeted on Friday in a multi-pronged attack involving at least one explosion and small fire by a number of assailants in Absard city of Damavand County, Tehran province.
In a clash between the scientist’s bodyguard team and the assassins, Fakhrizadeh was seriously wounded and transferred to the hospital immediately after the attack but was martyred due to the wounds he had sustained in the terrorist assault.
Fakhrizadeh was reportedly the only Iranian scientist that Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu had cited in a program. The Zionist regime’s media say several assassination attempts to kill him had failed in the past years.
Following his assassination, US President Donald Trump retweeted prominent Zionist journalist Yossi Melman, who wrote, " Mohsen Fakhrizadeh assassinated in Damavand, east of Tehran according to reports in Iran. He was head of Iran's secret military program and wanted for many years by Mossad. His death is a major psychological and professional blow for Iran."
By retweeting, the US President implicitly confirmed the Zionist regime's involvement in the assassination of Iran's nuclear scientist.
New York Times quoted intelligence officials as saying that Israel regime was behind the assassination of Iranian scientist Mohsen Fakhrizadeh.
"One American official — along with two other intelligence officials — said that Israel was behind the attack on the scientist," New York Times reported.
"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," it added.
The cowardly assassination of Iranian nuclear scientist Mohsen Fakhrizadeh also provoked many reactions in the region and the world.
In this regard, Resistance groups strongly slammed Fakhrizadeh's assassination.
Hezbollah Deputy Leader Sheikh Naim Qassem said on Friday that the retaliation for the assassination of Iranian scientist Mohsen Fakhrizadeh was in Iran’s hands, warning that Hezbollah was fully prepared for any Israeli aggression.
“We condemn this heinous attack and see that the response to this crime is in the hands of those concerned in Iran,” Sheikh Naim Qassem said.
Strongly condemning the terrorist act against the Iranian scientist, Ansarullah stressed Iran's right to respond to perpetrators of this crime.
The assassination of the top Iranian scientist by enemies is seeking to target scientific achievements of the Islamic Ummah, reads the statement.
The UN Secretary-General has reacted to the assassination of a prominent Iranian nuclear scientist.
Without expressing condemnation against the assassination of Fakhrizadeh, Farhan Haq the deputy spokesman for UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres said, "We have noted the reports that an Iranian nuclear scientist has been assassinated near Tehran today. We urge restraint and the need to avoid any actions that could lead to an escalation of tensions in the region."
Like the UN, Germany just urged all sides on Saturday to show restraint after the killing of an Iranian nuclear scientist and avoid escalating tensions that could derail any talks on Iran’s nuclear programme.
In reaction to the assassination of an Iranian scientist, UN Special Rapporteur said that an extraterritorial targeted killing, outside an armed conflict, is a violation of international human rights law.
In a tweet on Friday, Agnes Callamard wrote, "Murder of #MohsenFakhrizadeh, #Iran's top nuclear scientist: many questions still as to the circumstances of his killing. No State or non-State actors have yet claimed responsibility."
"An extraterritorial targeted killing, outside an armed conflict, is a violation of international human rights law prohibiting the arbitrary deprivation of life and a violation of the UN Charter prohibiting the use of force extraterritorially in times of peace," she added.
Dmitry Polyanskiy, First Deputy Permanent Representative of the Russian Federation to the United Nations said the assassination of an Iranian scientist was carried out with the green light of the United States for foreign political assassinations.
"What the New York Times analysis says is a reflection of the United States' readiness to give the green light to foreign political assassinations," he wrote on Twitter.
Addressing the US green light, Russia's deputy ambassador to the United Nations emphasized, "Not a thing to boast for a democratic country."
Venezuelan Foreign Minister Jorge Arreaza also strongly condemned the assassination of Iranian nuclear scientist Fakhrizadeh.
South African and Foreign Minister of Yemeni National Salvation Government condemned Fakhrizadeh's assassination.
US Senator Chris Murphy in a tweet reacted to the assassination of Fakhrizade, saying, "If the primary purpose of the killing of Mr. Fakhrizadeh was to make it harder to restart the Iran nuclear agreement, then this assassination does not make America, Israel or the world safer."
"Important to recall that from a security standpoint, the Soleimani killing backfired. Iran supercharged their nuclear research, increased attacks on our troops, and maintained support for proxies (Hezbollah briefly took over the Lebanese gov in 2020!)."
The former head of the US Central Intelligence Agency (CIA), John Brennan, said the killing of the scientist was a "criminal" and "highly reckless" act that risks inflaming conflict in the region.
In a series of tweets, he said Fakhrizadeh's death "risks lethal retaliation and a new round of regional conflict."
Brennan added that he did not know "whether a foreign government authorised or carried out the murder of Fakhrizadeh."
Ben Rhodes, National Security Adviser to the former US President described the assassination of an Iranian nuclear scientist as "outrageous " aimed at undermining diplomacy.
"This is an outrageous action aimed at undermining diplomacy between an incoming US administration and Iran. It’s time for this ceaseless escalation to stop."
Amid the news of the assassination of Iranian scientist Mohsen Fakhrizadeh, Mark Dubowitz CEO of the Foundation for Defense of Democracies in a provocative tweet wrote, "Still almost two months before Joe Biden takes office. Plenty of time for US and Israel to inflict severe damage on the regime in Iran — and build leverage for the Biden administration."
In a statement issued on Saturday, the Spokesperson for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy of the European Union said, " This is a criminal act and runs counter to the principle of respect for human rights the EU stands for."
"The High Representative expresses his condolences to the family members of the individuals who were killed while wishing a prompt recovery to any other individuals who may have been injured. In these uncertain times, it is more important than ever for all parties to remain calm and exercise maximum restraint in order to avoid escalation which cannot be in anyone’s interest."
Reported by Zahra Mirzafarjouyan
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