DM Monitoring
TEHRAN: The assassination of Iranian top nuclear physicist Mohsen Fakhrizadeh has raised questions about how and when Iran would respond, as well as concerns over the Mideast uncertainty, but an immediate escalation is unlikely according to several analysts.
Fakhrizadeh died of severe injuries in hospital on Friday afternoon, after an ambush on his vehicle in Absard village, 60 km northeast of Tehran.
According to the details provided by Iran’s Minister of Defense Amir Hatami, the attackers first shot at Fakhrizadeh’s vehicle, and then detonated a Nissan car loaded with explosives. The victim had high proficiency in different scientific fields and acted as an adviser to Hatami and the head of the ministry’s Research and Innovation Organization, leading Iran’s defense against nuclear or biological threats.
Most official reactions to the assassination from Iran have stressed the terrorist nature of the crime, and pointed to Israeli intelligence as the main suspect. Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif was the first to mention “serious indications of Israeli role” in the attack on social media. He also called on the international community to “end double standards” and condemn the crime as an “act of state terror.” Mohammad Baqeri, chief of staff of Iran’s Armed Forces, also accused “terrorists affiliated with … Zionist regime (of Israel),” and warned of “a severe revenge.”
Israel has not officially commented on Fakhrizadeh’s killing so far.
Nabil Shaath, adviser to Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbass for international relations, said it might be right for Iran to accuse Israel of committing this heinous crime, as “Israel has been accustomed over the past years to carrying out assassinations against its enemies, not just Iran.” However, Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei seemed to be more cautious on Saturday in his message, not pointing to any suspect, but saying both the perpetrators and the commanders of the crime must “definitely be punished.”
Iran’s President Hassan Rouhani clarified in his statement on Saturday that the response will be given in “an appropriate time” in order “not to fall in the trap of Zionist (Israeli) conspiracies.”
Rouhani’s remarks echoed with the concerns of analysts that the assassination seeks to bring about an escalation and frustrate any attempt to reopen diplomatic ways between Iran and the United States after a new administration takes over in Washington.
