Former CIA Director John Brennan had harsh words following reports that Iran scientist Mohsen Fakhrizadeh was assassinated near Tehran.
Trump raised alarm retweeting a Twitter post calling the assassination a “major psychological and professional blow” to Iran:
Mohsen Fakhrizadeh has been assassinated in Damavand, east of Tehran according to reports in Iran. He was head of Iran’s secret military program and wanted for many years by Mossad. His death is a major psychological and professional blow for Iran.
— Yossi Melman (@yossi_melman) November 27, 2020
Brennan retweeted an Associated Press story on the subject and added his analysis.
“This was a criminal act and highly reckless,” Brennan charged. “It risks lethal retaliation and a new round of regional conflict.”
He urged Iran to remember that President-elect Joe Biden will take office in January.
“Iranian leaders would be wise to wait for the return of responsible American leadership on the global stage and to resist the urge to respond against perceived culprits,” he counseled.
“I do not know whether a foreign government authorized or carried out…the murder of Fakhrizadeh. Such an act of state-sponsored terrorism would be a flagrant violation of international law and encourage more governments to carry out lethal attacks against foreign officials,” Brennan warned.
This was a criminal act & highly reckless. It risks lethal retaliation & a new round of regional conflict.
Iranian leaders would be wise to wait for the return of responsible American leadership on the global stage & to resist the urge to respond against perceived culprits. https://t.co/0uZhyBTM3S— John O. Brennan (@JohnBrennan) November 27, 2020
These assassinations are far different than strikes against terrorist leaders & operatives of groups like al-Qaida & Islamic State, which are not sovereign states. As illegitimate combatants under international law, they can be targeted in order to stop deadly terrorist attacks.
— John O. Brennan (@JohnBrennan) November 27, 2020
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