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Thread: Iranian media is reporting that Mohsen Fakhrizadeh, the "mystery man" of Iran's nuclear weapons programme, was just assassinated outside of the capital Tehran.
This is a big deal for a number of reasons that I'll briefly outline below. 1/n
This is a big deal for a number of reasons that I'll briefly outline below. 1/n
Fakhrizadeh was a ghost – little is known about him, except that he was a lynchpin in Iran's nuclear weapons programme.
He has been described in the West as a nuclear or ballistics expert, and in Iran as a university professor and as a scientist working for the defence ministry.
He has been described in the West as a nuclear or ballistics expert, and in Iran as a university professor and as a scientist working for the defence ministry.
Compared to Robert Oppenheimer, the American physicist who was described as the "father of the atomic bomb", Fakhrizadeh had close ties to the Iran's elite Revolutionary Guard, and had held a senior position in the country's nuclear programme for decades.
He had been unssucessfully targeted by assassins before, and was one of the few nuclear scientists shielded from Iran state press coverage.
Until April 2018, there wasn't even a photograph of him in the public space.
Until April 2018, there wasn't even a photograph of him in the public space.
So how do we know he is so important?
Well, firstly, in 2011 Fakhrizadeh was named by the global nuclear regulator as being the executive in charge of the secretive AMAD Project, a venture dubbed by some Western intelligence observers as Iran’s Manhatten Project.
Well, firstly, in 2011 Fakhrizadeh was named by the global nuclear regulator as being the executive in charge of the secretive AMAD Project, a venture dubbed by some Western intelligence observers as Iran’s Manhatten Project.
Secondly, Fakhrizadeh was namechecked publicly by Benjamin Netanyahu, Prime Minister of Israel, two years ago.
Netanyahu accused him of leading Iran's nuclear weapons ambitions, saying ominously: “Remember that name, Fakhrizadeh.”
Netanyahu accused him of leading Iran's nuclear weapons ambitions, saying ominously: “Remember that name, Fakhrizadeh.”
Western intelligence services and Mossad have tracked the scientist's movements for some time.
Experts say Fakhrizadeh was likely given special protections and hidden away to prevent him from the kinds of asssassinations that have befallen many of his colleagues.
Experts say Fakhrizadeh was likely given special protections and hidden away to prevent him from the kinds of asssassinations that have befallen many of his colleagues.
According to Reuters, a European-based proliferation analyst said he came up with a “big nothing” when he tried to write a paper on Fakhrizadeh.
“He is the one sort of constant that keeps coming up but I must confess I really don’t know much about him.”
“He is the one sort of constant that keeps coming up but I must confess I really don’t know much about him.”
But it is precisely this fact — that Fakhrizadeh is so shrouded in mystery and yet keeps popping up in intercepted communications — that makes him so important.
This is a huge coup for Israel and the US, who have worked in concert to assassinate key nuclear scientists within Iran in recent years.
This is undoubtedly their biggest hit to date, and will be a blow to Iran’s nuclear ambitions.
This is undoubtedly their biggest hit to date, and will be a blow to Iran’s nuclear ambitions.
The assassination will also raise questions about what hand Donald Trump played in this.
Recent US media reports have suggested that he is considering some sort of strike on Iran before leaving office, but has been talked down by advisors.
This may be Trump’s parting shot.
Recent US media reports have suggested that he is considering some sort of strike on Iran before leaving office, but has been talked down by advisors.
This may be Trump’s parting shot.
