Iran’s top nuclear scientist, Mohsen Fakhrizadeh, was killed on Friday. While no group has taken responsibility and details are still emerging, Iranian officials described the killing as an assassination and accused Israeli forces of carrying out the attack. A UN spokesperson issued a statement condemning “any assassination or extra-judicial killing” but calling for restraint in the unfolding situation to avoid an “escalation of tensions in the region.”
More context: Iran’s nuclear program has drawn significant international attention in recent years. The country has been accused of repeatedly violating the terms of a 2015 nuclear deal (which the US withdrew from in 2018), though Iranian officials have maintained that any nuclear efforts are peaceful.
