The main scientist behind Iran’s nuclear program has been killed.  That is the story.  Behind that important fact, Politico and AP need to revisit how they label Mohsen Fakhrizadeh’s position and thus diminish his threat.  Here’s what they said in the story’s first sentence—“An Iranian scientist named by the West as the leader of the Islamic Republic’s disbanded military nuclear program was killed Friday in an ambush on the outskirts of Tehran, authorities said.”  Disbanded program?  And thus he’s not a threat to Israel/world?  Neither are true.  But if they are true, why don’t Politico and AP go after Israel (if they indeed did it) for killing a harmless person?  They don’t.  See “Iran scientist linked to military nuclear program killed,” Politico, AP, November 27, 2020. Politico and AP also call “Hossein Dehghan, an adviser to Iran’s supreme leader and a presidential candidate in Iran’s 2021 election” but Dehghan has not yet formally declared to the best of my knowledge, he is just considering.  Finally, and I suppose this is the third example of “fake news”, certainly suspect, from this one story, it says “Meanwhile, an advanced centrifuge assembly plant at Iran’s Natanz nuclear facility exploded in July in what Tehran now calls a sabotage attack.”  A link is offered to an AP story about the attack, but that link does not say that Iran has publicly declared the July event sabotage—instead, Iran’s public position is that they don’t know what happened, they don’t have evidence of why the event occurred.  Politico and AP need to be careful with their statements, they may create a reality that is not reality.  Here is instead a much better Sky news article about the killing of the Father of Iran’s nuclear program—“BREAKING: Senior Iranian nuclear scientist Mohsen Fakhrizadeh assassinated,” Sky News, November 27, 2020.

Quote of the Day:  IRGC chief Hossein Salami tweeted, “Assassinating nuclear scientists is the most violent confrontation to prevent us from reaching modern science.”  See “Mohsen Fakhrizadeh: Senior Iranian nuclear scientist assassinated,” Lucia Binding, Sky News, November 27, 2020.

Here is a list from Reuters of the deceased scientists helping Iran attain to “modern science.” “Factbox: Attacks on scientists in Iran,” Reuters Staff, November 27, 2020.

“Iranian Diplomat Accused of Plotting to Bomb Dissidents Goes on Trial in Belgium,” Steven Erlanger, New York Times, November 27, 2020.

I had not read this article from Tehran Times yesterday, but did so today—Iran is threatening to kill Pres. Donald Trump now and after he leaves office.  “Judiciary tracking down culprits involved in Gen. Soleimani assassination,” Tehran Times, November 27, 2020.  The Tehran Times is controlled by the Foreign Ministry and is charged with promoting the 1979 Revolution.

“Iranian Worker flogged 74 times for “insulting” Labor Minister in Iran,” Iran HRM, November 27, 2020.

“It means sovereignty, political independence, unity and territorial integrity of Syria must be fully respected by all.” But Iran’s Ambassador to the UN Majid Takht-Ravanchi said nothing about Iran’s present-day controlling role over Syria.  See “Iran lambasts Israel’s continued aggressions against Syria’s sovereignty,” Tehran Times, November 27, 2020.

“Iran’s Rouhani Declares End of ‘Trumpism’,” David Brennan, Newsweek, November 27, 2020.