Iranian President Hassan Rouhani in a telephone conversation with Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan announced his intention to avenge the murder of nuclear physicist Mohsen Fakhrizadeh. Rouhani said the authorities knew who was involved in the assassination attempt and how it was carried out. The leaders of the two countries also agreed to develop bilateral relations.
«Undoubtedly, this attack shows the weakness of the sworn enemies of the Iranian nation in the face of the scientific and research advances of our scientists. Iran has the right to avenge at the right time for the blood of the martyred»- emphasized Rouhani, calling the murder "a great and inhuman crime."
The Iranian leader added that Tehran is aware of who is behind the murder of the scientist. Rouhani said the physicist was involved in research related to the coronavirus, including developing tests to detect it.
The Turkish leader expressed condolences over the death of the Iranian scientist and condemned the murder, which, according to Erdogan, was directed against the calm and peace in the region. He also expressed the hope that the attackers will be caught and convicted.
Rouhani and Erdogan raised the issue of the nuclear deal. According to the Iranian leader, Iran will return to fulfilling its obligations when the other parties to the agreement do the same.
On November 27, in Tehran, unidentified persons shot at the car in which was the head of the research and innovation organization of the Iranian Defense Ministry, nuclear physicist Mohsen Fakhrizadeh, who is considered one of the founders of the republic's nuclear program. Witnesses also reported that explosions were heard at the scene. According to an unconfirmed version, in addition to Fakhrizade, three or four more people died. The Ministry of Defense called the murder of the physicist a terrorist attack. The Iranian Foreign Ministry believes that Israel could have been involved in the attack.
Later, US intelligence said that the Israeli authorities were behind the murder of the Iranian nuclear physicist, according to the New York Times, citing sources in the American intelligence services. As the head of the Institute of Regional Problems (IRP) Dmitry Zhuravlev told TV channel 360, Tel Aviv could have organized an assassination attempt to slow down or prevent the emergence of nuclear weapons in Iran, which is one of Israel's closest geopolitical opponents.
