Iran Leadership Warns Israel of 'Revenge' Over Assassination of Nuclear Scientist (Comprehensive)

On the 27th (local time), the assassination site of nuclear scientist Mohsen Fakhrizadeh in the small city of Absard near Tehran, the capital of Iran [Image source=Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy Reporter Seongpil Cho] Iranian leaders have repeatedly warned of "revenge" against Israel, which has been identified as the mastermind behind the assassination of scientist Mohsen Fakhrizadeh, who led the country's nuclear development.

According to AFP and other sources, Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Seyyed Ali Khamenei issued a statement on his official website on the 28th (local time), the second day after the incident, urging, "The perpetrators and those responsible must be surely punished, and the scientific and technological efforts across all fields of the martyr (Fakhrizadeh) must continue." Khamenei referred to Fakhrizadeh as an "authoritative nuclear and defense scientist," expressing mourning and anger by saying, "He was martyred at the hands of criminals and brutal mercenaries."

Hossein Salami, Commander-in-Chief of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC), also warned of revenge. The IRGC is considered one of Iran's two major military organizations alongside the regular army. Salami emphasized that "the enemies of the Iranian people, especially the masterminds, executors, and supporters of this crime (the assassination of Fakhrizadeh), must know that such crimes will not undermine Iran's determination to continue on an honorable and strong path." He further warned, "They must also know that severe revenge and punishment will be an urgent matter."

Earlier, Iranian President Hassan Rouhani also pointed to Israel as behind the assassination of Fakhrizadeh in a TV broadcast statement that day, saying, "Iran is smart enough not to fall into the trap of conspiracies devised by Zionists," and added, "They are trying to sow chaos, but we have read their 'hands' (traces), and they must know they will not succeed."

Fakhrizadeh was attacked in a terrorist assault in the small city of Absard, about 40 km from the capital Tehran, the previous day. He was transported to a hospital but died. It is reported that the car he was in was bombed and then shot at. Following this, Iran immediately pointed to Israel as behind the terror and vowed revenge, escalating tensions over armed conflict in the Middle East region.