UK ‘concerned’ by Iran nuclear scientist killing

london — Britain is “concerned” about the possible escalation of tensions in the Middle East following the assassination of a top Iranian nuclear scientist earlier in the week, Foreign Minister Dominic Raab said on Sunday.

“We are concerned about the situation in Iran and the wider region we do want to see de-escalation of tensions,” Raab told Sky News when asked about the killing of Mohsen Fakhrizadeh, dubbed by Israel the “father” of Iran’s nuclear programme.

“We’re still waiting to see the full facts, to address the full facts of what’s happened in Iran but I would say that we stick to the rule of international humanitarian law which is very clear against targeting civilians,” added Raab.

We’re still waiting to see the full facts ... but I would say that we stick to the rule of international humanitarian law which is very clear against targeting civilians Dominic Raab Foreign Minister

Iran mulls response

A top adviser to Iran’s supreme leader said that Iran will give a

“calculated and decisive” response to the killing of the nuclear scientist.

“Undoubtedly, Iran will give a calculated and decisive answer to the criminals who took martyr Mohsen Fakhrizadeh from the Iranian nation,” Kamal Kharrazi, who is also head of Iran’s Strategic Council on Foreign Relations, said in a statement.

Iran’s clerical and military rulers have blamed Israel for the killing. Iran has in the past accused Israel of killing several Iranian nuclear scientists since 2010.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s office has declined to comment on scientist’s killing.