Former head of CIA calls assassination of Iranian nuclear scientist ‘criminal and reckless act’

The former head of the CIA labelled the assassination of a top Iranian nuclear scientist on Friday a “criminal” act that risks inflaming conflict in the region. John Brennan said he did not know who was to blame for the murder of Mohsen Fakhrizadeh.

“This was a criminal act & highly reckless. It risks lethal retaliation & a new round of regional conflict,” Brennan said in a series of tweets. “I do not know whether a foreign government authorised or carried out the murder of Fakhrizadeh,” he said. “Such an act of state-sponsored terrorism would be a flagrant violation of international law & encourage more governments to carry out lethal attacks against foreign officials.”