Iran blames Israel, exiled opposition entity for assassination of top nuclear scientist

Iran’s top official lay the blame of the assassination of their top nuclear scientist on arch-foe Israel and People’s Mujahedeen, an exiled opposition group. Official also said that the nuclear scientist Mohsen Fakhrizadeh was killed in new type of ‘complex operation’, according to AFP.

“The weapon collected from the site of the terrorist act bears the logo and specifications of the Israeli military industry,” an unnamed source told Iran’s English-language Press TV. 

Fakhrizadeh, who had little public profile in Iran but had been named by Israel as a top player in what it says is Iran’s nuclear weapons quest, was killed on Friday when he was ambushed on a highway near Tehran and his car sprayed with bullets.

Also read: Funeral begins for assassinated Iran nuclear scientist

Though Iran blames Israel, it also understands that there is very little it can do in retaliation because it can complicate any reconciliation efforts by US President-elect Joe Biden with the sanction marred country.

Tensions have increased between Tehran and Washington since 2018, when Trump exited Iran’s 2015 nuclear deal with six powers and reimposed sanctions that have crippled Iran’s economy.

In retaliation, Tehran gradually breached the deal’s curbs on its nuclear programme. Biden has said he will return the United States to the deal if Iran resumes compliance.