Name? Mohsen Fakhrizadeh
Westphalian identity? Iranian
Age? 62
Why is he in the news? Fakhrizadeh is the 2nd high-ranking Iranian official that has been assassinated in the past 10 months. Media sources assume that the killing of Iran’s top nuclear scientist is the latest escalation in the tit for tat between Iran and Israel. Israel neither confirmed nor denied their involvement in this operation. However, in 2018, Benjamin Netanyahu told reporters at a press conference about Iran’s nuclear program to “remember that [Fakhrizadeh’s] name.”
Why do we care? If we follow the story presented by the media, then Fakhrizadeh was executed on Iranian territory during broad daylight by Israeli intelligence units. This is a huge embarrassment for Iran and could lead to an Iranian retaliation going beyond the scope of last month’s tit for tat. Moreover, a strong Iranian response could further increase serious conflict in the Middle East.
Why should you care? We have a President in the White House with nothing to lose, Israel who received a blank check from that President, and Iranian linked militias furious at Shia humiliation. If that isn’t something to worry about, then what is? Global Warming?
Who else cares? A few weeks ago, US President-elect Joe Biden, offered Iran “a credible path back to diplomacy.” Since President Trump left the Nuclear Deal, Iran has increased its uranium production from 102 kilograms to 2,440 kilograms. Retaliation for the killing of Fakhrizadeh would make future negotiations even more difficult for both sides.
Any further comments? The timing of this event is crucial. With the White House in a transitional period, Israel picked the perfect moment for the execution of Fakhrizadeh. They still have complete backing from Trump and can count on full support in the event of a serious attack. Meanwhile, Iran cannot fully retaliate because it promised diplomatic talks with the new administration under Biden in order to end their crippling sanctions.
