Iran Buries Assassinated Nuclear Chief

Senior Iranian officials on Monday vowed to avenge the death of top nuclear scientist Mohsen Fakhrizadeh and threatened Israel, which Iran blames for the killing, with swift retaliation, as the Islamic Republic laid the assassinated official to rest in the capital Tehran. During the ceremony, Defense Minister Amir Hatami promised Iran’s “foes, by order of Supreme Leader Khamenei, that there shall be a response to this murder.” On Sunday night, security officials released photographs of four men claimed to have been a part of the hit squad, requesting the public’s assistance in tracking them down. Earlier Sunday, Khamenei and President Hassan Rouhani promised to exact revenge on the “Zionist aggressor.” Meanwhile, the United Arab Emirates, which recently signed historic agreements to establish diplomatic, economic and cultural ties with Israel, condemned Friday’s killing of Fakrizadeh, joining countries like Iraq, Turkey, Syria and Qatar who over the weekend sided with Iran. The country’s eminent nuclear expert and the man said to have created Iran’s modern nuclear program was gunned down Friday outside his suburban home in Tehran. No country or group has claimed responsibility for the killing.