UN Secretary General Guterres is calling on countries to exercise restraint after the assassination attempt on a prominent Iranian nuclear scientist. “It is imperative to avoid actions that could lead to an escalation of tensions in the region,” his spokesman said.
Guterres’ appeal comes after Iran threatened to avenge the attack on scientist Mohsen Fakhrizadeh. According to the Iranian government, there are “strong indications” that Israel is behind the liquidation.
In a letter to the UN Iran writes that the country can defend itself. Iran reserves the right to take any measures necessary to protect its residents, Reuters news agency quoted from the letter. “Especially during the remainder of the current US administration.”
USA and Iran
Middle East correspondent Daisy Mohr said on Friday that the attack on nuclear scientist Fakhrizadeh should be seen against the background of the deteriorating relationship between the US and Iran. President Trump got out of the nuclear deal with the country in 2018.
“The future president Biden has announced that he wants to seek rapprochement with Iran again. But Israel is not in favor of this,” said Mohr.
Atomic program
The liquidated scientist Fakhrizadeh is said to be the mastermind behind Iran’s nuclear program. According to Iranian media, the 63-year-old nuclear scientist came under fire while in a car. He died of his injuries in hospital.
Fakhrizadeh was of great importance to the Iranian rulers, correspondent Mohr said. At the beginning of this century, he would have been in charge of a nuclear program that, according to Israel and the West, aimed to make nuclear weapons. Iran has always said the program was for peaceful purposes.
