Mohsen Fakhrizadeh, Deputy Minister of Defense and Head of the Research and Innovation Organization of the Ministry of Defense of Iran, who was described by Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Seyyed Ali Khamenei as "a distinguished nuclear and defense scientist", was assassinated and attained martyrdom on Friday evening, December 27, near the town of Absard, Damavand city to the east of Tehran during a terrorist attack by the criminal agents of the Zionist regime.
Speaking to China’s Global Times in an exclusive interview, Keshavarzzadeh admitted that nuclear development in Iran will not end after the attack, and added, "We will continue activities to ensure the peaceful nuclear rights of the Iranian people."
He went on to say that “the terrorist act" took place at a time when Fakhrizadeh was playing a "prominent role" in the production of the first indigenous diagnosis kits and coronavirus vaccine for the Iranian citizens.
"His great contribution to our national efforts in curbing the COVID-19 pandemic was conducted at a time when Iran is under inhumane sanctions of the United States, strictly preventing our access to humanitarian goods, including medicines and medical equipment," he said.
He also said that the assassination of Iranian nuclear scientist Fakhrizadeh was committed by "perpetrators [who] have a long list of assassinations in the sensitive region of West Asia and beyond."
He said that Fakhrizadeh's assassination shows that the enemies of diplomacy are living in anxious days and intend to endanger world peace and security by disturbing the region.
Regarding the future of Tehran-Washington talks he said, "As far as the US is not a member of the JCPOA [Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action], we won't negotiate with them."
He urged the next administration of the US to explicitly condemn Trump's policies against Iran and make up to its anti-human rights and terrorist acts and the wrong policies pursued by the current government over the past four years in its first steps.
Kehavazzadeh added, "Iran and the US can both decide and announce that they will return to the state before January 20, 2017, [when Donald Trump took office], and this can be a great solution to many issues and problems, and completely change the course and conditions, and then we can continue taking the next steps on different issues.”
"Iran has always adhered to its obligations if all other parties have done so in a responsible manner, and we consider constructive interaction with the world as our strategy."
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