Hassan Rouhani

A top Iranian official on Nov. 30 said nuclear scientist Mohsen Fakhrizadeh was killed in a new type of "complex operation", blaming arch-foe Israel and an exiled opposition group.

The "operation was very complex, using electronic equipment and no one was present at the scene," the secretary of Iran's Supreme National Security Council, Rear-Admiral Ali Shamkhani said.

Turkey on Nov. 28 condemned the killing of Iran's top nuclear scientist Mohsen Fakhrizadeh.

"We regret that the Iranian scientist Mohsen Fakhrizadeh lost his life as a result of an armed attack in Tehran. We condemn this heinous murder and extend our condolences to the government of Iran and the family of the deceased," said the nation's Foreign Ministry.

Iran's President Hassan Rouhani on Nov. 28 accused arch-foe Israel of acting as a "mercenary" for the U.S., blaming the Jewish state for assassinating one of Tehran's most prominent nuclear scientists.

Rouhani said in a televised Cabinet meeting that this was a great opportunity for the US to apologize and lift the unjust sanctions imposed on Iran, Reuters reports.
"The sanctions have failed to hamper our efforts to fight against the coronavirus outbreak", he added.

Iranians were taking to the streets of Tehran and other cities and towns across the country on Feb. 11 for rallies and nationwide celebrations marking the anniversary of the 1979 Islamic Revolution.

Iran is now enriching more uranium than Tehran did before it agreed to a nuclear deal with world powers in 2015, Iranian President Hassan Rouhani said on Jan. 16 in a televised speech.

"We are enriching more uranium before the deal was reached ... Pressure has increased on Iran but we continue to progress," Rouhani said.

Iranian President Hassan Rouhani dismissed on Jan. 15 a proposal for a new "Trump deal" aimed at resolving a nuclear row, saying it was a "strange" offer and criticizing U.S. President Donald Trump for always breaking promises.

France, the United Kingdom and Germany have triggered the dispute settlement mechanism enshrined in the Iran nuclear program agreement.

This is the most decisive step for European participants in the deal since Tehran announced last that it was removing the restrictions on its uranium enrichment and production.

Iran said on Jan. 14  it had arrested an undisclosed number of suspects accused of a role in shooting down a Ukrainian airliner, as anti-government demonstrations triggered by the disaster entered the fourth day.

Iran said on Jan. 11 it had mistakenly shot down a Ukrainian plane killing all 176 aboard and voiced deep regret, after initially denying it brought down the aircraft in the tense aftermath of Iranian missile strikes on U.S. targets in Iraq.