Iran calls for ‘clear’ condemnation of Fakhrizadeh assassination by IAEA

Iran’s permanent representative to Vienna-based international organizations has censured the silence of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) on the brutal assassination of prominent Iranian nuclear scientist Mohsen Fakhrizadeh, demanding a clear position from the international body and unconditional condemnation of the terrorist act.

Kazem Gharibabadi made the remarks in a letter to IAEA Director General Rafael Grossi, saying the “cowardly terrorist act” of assassinating Fakhrizadeh required proper attention from the international community and that Iran expected the IAEA to “clearly and unequivocally” condemn the heinous crime.

“The Islamic Republic of Iran highly expects that the IAEA clearly and unequivocally condemn this terror. It is an opportune for the Agency to renounce the assassination of nuclear scientists and sabotage of peaceful nuclear facilities of a member of the Nuclear Proliferation Treaty (NPT) and the IAEA,” Gharibabadi wrote in the letter.

Iran highly expects that @IAEA clearly and unequivocally condemn this terror. It is an opportune for the Agency to renounce the assassination of nuclear scientists and sabotage of peaceful nuclear facilities of a member to the NPT and the IAEA. ee my letter to @rafaelmgrossi pic.twitter.com/R1x40nXNwo

— Gharibabadi (@Gharibabadi) December 3, 2020

Fakhrizadeh, the head of the Iranian Defense Ministry’s Organization of Defensive Innovation and Research, was targeted in a multi-pronged terrorist attack by a number of assailants in Absard city of Tehran Province’s Damavand County on November 27.

Prominent Iranian physicist assassinated near Tehran

Prominent Iranian physicist Mohsen Fakhrizadeh is assassinated in a terrorist attack near Tehran, the Defense Ministry says.

Gharibabadi said there was “substantive” evidence showing Israel’s involvement in the terrorist act, and that the assassination was carried out with the aim of stoking tensions and jeopardizing international peace and security.

“Substantive evidence clearly indicates involvement and responsibility of Israeli regime in the terrorist attack taking also into account that this regime's authorities have repeatedly named Dr. Mohsen Fakhrizadeh and planned to assassinate him several times,” the Iranian envoy said.

“This is yet another instance of terrorism planned, organized and financed by the most heinous terrorist regime with the aim of endangering international peace and security, threatening territorial integrity, destabilizing the region, destruction of human rights and hindering the socio-economic development of independent nations,” he added.

'Fakhrizadeh assassination another desperate attempt to disrupt Iran's development'

Iran’s UN envoy says there are serious indications that Israel was behind the assassination of Iranian physicist Mohsen Fakhrizadeh.

Gharibabadi said the assassination of the top scientist was in violation of the international law and underlined that the agency must assume responsibilities to Iran, which as one of the IAEA members has the most transparent nuclear program and has received the highest level of inspections worldwide.

“Such callous terrorist act, like any act of international terrorism, constitutes a threat to international peace and security and contravenes the fundamental principles of international law and principles set forth within the Charter of the United Nations as well as the fundamental human rights,” Gharibabadi said in the letter to Grossi.

“The Agency and its Member States have a dire responsibility vis-à-vis a Member who receives the highest level of inspections of the Agency and has the most transparent nuclear program through such cooperation, but its scientists are assassinated or under threat of assassination, and its nuclear facilities are sabotaged or under threat of sabotage,” he noted.

Iran’s permanent representative to Vienna-based international organizations concluded that, “The Islamic Republic of Iran strongly condemns the assassination of Dr. Fakhrizadeh and reserves its rights, including its inherent right of self-defense, to take all necessary measures to respond to the terrorist attack and any further wrongful acts.”

Iranian government officials and military commanders have hinted that the Israeli regime, which has already murdered a number of Iran's scientific elites, was behind the recent terror attack, vowing harsh revenge against all the criminals involved.

Iran to give 'calculated', 'firm' response to scientist’s assassination: Senior official

‘There is no doubt that the Islamic Republic of Iran will give a calculated and categorical response.’

An informed source has told Press TV that the remains of the weapon used in the assassination show that it was made in Israel, adding that the weapon collected from the site of the terrorist act bears the logo and specifications of the Israeli military industry.

The Iranian administration announced on Wednesday that the country’s Intelligence Ministry has identified the individuals involved in the assassination of Fakhrizadeh.

The targeted killing of the top nuclear scientist has drawn widespread condemnations from many countries.

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