Turkey said Sunday that the killing of a key Iranian nuclear scientist was an act of “terrorism” that “upsets peace in the region”, AFP reported.

“We regret the death of Mohsen Fakhrizadeh following an armed attack. We condemn this heinous murder and offer our condolences to the Iranian government and the dead man’s relatives,” Ankara’s foreign ministry said in a statement, as per AFP reports.

“Turkey is against all initiatives aimed at disrupting peace in the region and against all forms of terrorism, no matter who their perpetrator or target are.”

Fakhrizadeh, 59, was killed on Friday in a car bomb and gun attack by “armed terrorists”. He was head of the Defence Ministry’s Research and Innovation department. 

Iran’s President Hassan Rouhani has recently accused Israel of being behind Fakhrizadeh’s assination, along with the US.

Also read: Iran’s President Hassan Rouhani accuses nemesis Israel of scientist’s assassination

Neighbouring Turkey and Iran have a history of complex relations. While they often oppose each other on most issues, recent years have seen them cooperate in some areas like energy, as both oppose the Gulf countries of Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates.