Turkey condemns scientist killing as ‘terrorism’
ISTANBUL: Turkey said Sunday that the killing of a key Iranian nuclear scientist was an act of ‘terrorism’ that ‘upsets peace in the region’.
“We regret the death of Mohsen Fakhrizadeh following an armed attack. We condemn this heinous murder and offer our condolences to the Iranian government and the dead man’s relatives,” Ankara’s foreign ministry said in a statement.
“Turkey is against all initiatives aimed at disrupting peace in the region and against all forms of terrorism, no matter who their perpetrator or target are.”
Ankara also urged ‘all parties to act with common sense and restraint’.
Fakhrizadeh, 59, was killed on Friday in a car bomb and gun attack against his own vehicle, the Iranian defence ministry said. It added that he had been head of the ministry’s research and innovation department.
Tehran has accused Israel and the US of being behind Fakhrizadeh’s killing.
Neighbouring Turkey and Iran are regional powers with a history of complex relations.
While they often line up on opposing sides, recent years have seen them build up cooperation in some areas like energy.
Both are fierce opponents of Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates.
Meanwhile, Fakhrizadeh’s body has been taken to the first of several revered Shiite Muslim shrines ahead of his burial set for Monday, state media reported.
As part of the funeral procession, Fakhrizadeh’s body arrived in the northeastern city of Mashhad late Saturday and was taken to Imam Reza’s shrine, for prayers and to circle the tomb, state news agency IRNA reported.
His remains will next be taken to Fatima Masumeh’s shrine in Qom, south of Tehran, and then to Imam Khomeini’s shrine in the capital, according to the defence ministry.