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| Mohsen Fakhrizadeh, Iran's top nuclear scientist, assassinated near Tehran | Mohsen Fakhrizadeh, Iran's top nuclear scientist, assassinated near Tehran |
| (32 minutes later) | |
| The scene of the attack in Damavand, near Tehran | The scene of the attack in Damavand, near Tehran |
| Iran's most senior nuclear scientist Mohsen Fakhrizadeh has been assassinated near the capital Tehran, the country's defence ministry has confirmed. | Iran's most senior nuclear scientist Mohsen Fakhrizadeh has been assassinated near the capital Tehran, the country's defence ministry has confirmed. |
| Fakhrizadeh died in hospital after an attack in Absard, in Damavand county. | Fakhrizadeh died in hospital after an attack in Absard, in Damavand county. |
| Iran's Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif, has condemned the killing "as an act of state terror". | Iran's Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif, has condemned the killing "as an act of state terror". |
| Western intelligence agencies view Fakhrizadeh as being behind a covert Iranian nuclear weapons programme. | Western intelligence agencies view Fakhrizadeh as being behind a covert Iranian nuclear weapons programme. |
| "If Iran ever chose to weaponise (enrichment), Fakhrizadeh would be known as the father of the Iranian bomb," one Western diplomat told Reuters news agency in 2014. | "If Iran ever chose to weaponise (enrichment), Fakhrizadeh would be known as the father of the Iranian bomb," one Western diplomat told Reuters news agency in 2014. |
| News of the killing comes amid fresh concern about the increased amount of enriched uranium that Iran is producing. Enriched uranium is a vital component for both civil nuclear power generation and military nuclear weapons. | News of the killing comes amid fresh concern about the increased amount of enriched uranium that Iran is producing. Enriched uranium is a vital component for both civil nuclear power generation and military nuclear weapons. |
| Iran's enriched uranium stockpile '12 times limit' | Iran's enriched uranium stockpile '12 times limit' |
| After Trump, what will Biden do about Iran? | After Trump, what will Biden do about Iran? |
| Iran nuclear crisis in 300 words | Iran nuclear crisis in 300 words |
| Iran insists its nuclear programme is exclusively for peaceful purposes. | Iran insists its nuclear programme is exclusively for peaceful purposes. |
| Between 2010 and 2012, four Iranian nuclear scientists were assassinated and Iran has accused Israel of complicity in the killings. | Between 2010 and 2012, four Iranian nuclear scientists were assassinated and Iran has accused Israel of complicity in the killings. |
| Fakhrizadeh's name was specifically mentioned in Israeli PM Benjamin Netanyahu's presentation about Iran's nuclear programme in May 2018. | Fakhrizadeh's name was specifically mentioned in Israeli PM Benjamin Netanyahu's presentation about Iran's nuclear programme in May 2018. |
| What happened to Mohsen Fakhrizadeh? | What happened to Mohsen Fakhrizadeh? |
| In a statement on Friday, Iran's defence ministry said: "Armed terrorists targeted a vehicle carrying Mohsen Fakhrizadeh, head of the ministry's research and innovation organisation. | In a statement on Friday, Iran's defence ministry said: "Armed terrorists targeted a vehicle carrying Mohsen Fakhrizadeh, head of the ministry's research and innovation organisation. |
| "After a clash between the terrorists and his bodyguards, Mr Fakhrizadeh was severely injured and rushed to hospital. | "After a clash between the terrorists and his bodyguards, Mr Fakhrizadeh was severely injured and rushed to hospital. |
| "Unfortunately, the medical team's efforts to save him were unsuccessful and minutes ago he passed away." | "Unfortunately, the medical team's efforts to save him were unsuccessful and minutes ago he passed away." |
| Fakrizadeh was wounded in the attack and died later in hospital, Iran said | Fakrizadeh was wounded in the attack and died later in hospital, Iran said |
| Iranian media reports said the attackers opened fire on the scientist in his car. | Iranian media reports said the attackers opened fire on the scientist in his car. |
| Fars news agency earlier reported there was a car explosion in Absard town, with witnesses reporting that "three to four individuals, who are said to have been terrorists, were killed". | Fars news agency earlier reported there was a car explosion in Absard town, with witnesses reporting that "three to four individuals, who are said to have been terrorists, were killed". |
| What has the reaction been? | What has the reaction been? |
| "Terrorists murdered an eminent Iranian scientist today," Iran's foreign minister said in a tweet.. | "Terrorists murdered an eminent Iranian scientist today," Iran's foreign minister said in a tweet.. |
| "This cowardice - with serious indications of Israeli role - shows desperate warmongering of perpetrators." | "This cowardice - with serious indications of Israeli role - shows desperate warmongering of perpetrators." |
| Mr Zarif called on the international community to "condemn this act of state terror". | Mr Zarif called on the international community to "condemn this act of state terror". |
| The foreign ministry paid tribute to Fakhrizadeh as a "martyr". | The foreign ministry paid tribute to Fakhrizadeh as a "martyr". |
| 🔹محمد جواد ظریف وزیر امور خارجه جمهوری اسلامی ایران با صدرو بیانیه ای اقدام تروریستی و کوردلانه ترور شهید محسن فخری زاده رییس سازمان پژوهش و نوآوری وزارت دفاع جمهوری اسلامی ایران توسط تروریستها را به شدت محکوم کرد.https://t.co/kSvLoCGMTb pic.twitter.com/3zj2ZkAbaB | 🔹محمد جواد ظریف وزیر امور خارجه جمهوری اسلامی ایران با صدرو بیانیه ای اقدام تروریستی و کوردلانه ترور شهید محسن فخری زاده رییس سازمان پژوهش و نوآوری وزارت دفاع جمهوری اسلامی ایران توسط تروریستها را به شدت محکوم کرد.https://t.co/kSvLoCGMTb pic.twitter.com/3zj2ZkAbaB |
| The commander of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) has said that Iran will avenge the killing of the scientist. | The commander of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) has said that Iran will avenge the killing of the scientist. |
| "Assassination of nuclear scientists is the most obvious violation of the global hegemony to prevent our access to modern sciences," said Major General Hossein Salami. | "Assassination of nuclear scientists is the most obvious violation of the global hegemony to prevent our access to modern sciences," said Major General Hossein Salami. |
| There has been no comment from Israel on the news of the assassination. The Pentagon has also declined to comment, according to Reuters. | There has been no comment from Israel on the news of the assassination. The Pentagon has also declined to comment, according to Reuters. |
| The killing of Fakharizadeh is a blow to Iran's security and intelligence services who were tasked with protecting him, says Jiyar Gol from BBC Persian. | |
| Who was Mohsen Fakhrizadeh? | Who was Mohsen Fakhrizadeh? |
| Fakhrizadeh is the most renowned Iranian nuclear scientist and a senior officer of the elite Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps. | Fakhrizadeh is the most renowned Iranian nuclear scientist and a senior officer of the elite Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps. |
| He has long been spoken about by Western security sources as extremely powerful and instrumental in Iran's nuclear programme. | He has long been spoken about by Western security sources as extremely powerful and instrumental in Iran's nuclear programme. |
| According to secret documents obtained by Israel in 2018, he led a programme to create nuclear weapons. | According to secret documents obtained by Israel in 2018, he led a programme to create nuclear weapons. |
| "Remember that name," Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said as he identified Fakhrizedeh as the head scientist in the programme. | "Remember that name," Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said as he identified Fakhrizedeh as the head scientist in the programme. |
| In 2018, Israeli PM Benjamin Netanyahu unveiled what he claimed to be Iran's secret atomic archive | In 2018, Israeli PM Benjamin Netanyahu unveiled what he claimed to be Iran's secret atomic archive |
| In 2015, the New York Times compared him to J. Robert Oppenheimer, the physicist who directed the Manhattan Project that during World War Two produced the first atomic weapons. | In 2015, the New York Times compared him to J. Robert Oppenheimer, the physicist who directed the Manhattan Project that during World War Two produced the first atomic weapons. |
| A professor of physics, Fakhrizadeh is said to have led Project Amad, the alleged covert programme that was established in 1989 to research the potential for building a nuclear bomb. It was shut down in 2003, according to the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA). | A professor of physics, Fakhrizadeh is said to have led Project Amad, the alleged covert programme that was established in 1989 to research the potential for building a nuclear bomb. It was shut down in 2003, according to the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA). |
| The IAEA has long wanted to speak to him as part of its investigations into Iran's nuclear programme. | The IAEA has long wanted to speak to him as part of its investigations into Iran's nuclear programme. |
| Suspicions that Iran was using the programme as a cover to develop a nuclear bomb prompted the EU, US and UN to impose crippling sanctions in 2010. | Suspicions that Iran was using the programme as a cover to develop a nuclear bomb prompted the EU, US and UN to impose crippling sanctions in 2010. |
| In 2015, Iran reached a deal with six powers - the US, UK, France, China, Russia and Germany - that saw it limit its nuclear activities in return for sanctions relief. | In 2015, Iran reached a deal with six powers - the US, UK, France, China, Russia and Germany - that saw it limit its nuclear activities in return for sanctions relief. |
| Israel has long been opposed to the deal and US President Donald Trump abandoned it in May 2018. However, Joe Biden has pledged to reengage with Iran when he takes over the presidency in January. | Israel has long been opposed to the deal and US President Donald Trump abandoned it in May 2018. However, Joe Biden has pledged to reengage with Iran when he takes over the presidency in January. |
| What's behind the rising tensions between the US and Iran? | What's behind the rising tensions between the US and Iran? |