CODEPINK calls on world leaders to condemn Israel’s illegal execution of Iranian nuclear scientist Mohsen Fakhrizadeh.

CODEPINK

(November 27, 2020) — Make no mistake about it: Israel is doing everything that it can to stoke a war with Iran before Donald Trump leaves office. Today, in an act of flagrant disregard for international law, Iran’s top nuclear scientist Mohsen Fakhrizadeh was assassinated outside of Tehran by Israel with the possible assistance of the Iranian terror group the MEK. 

We are worried about an escalation to an all-out US-Iran war and you should be too. Joe Biden, who has stated that he will be seeking to return to the Iran Nuclear Deal, should speak out against this attempt to further inflame the Middle East conflict and destroy any chances of reestablishing diplomacy with Iran.

The illegal execution of Fakhrizadeh took place in the city of Absard outside Tehran, Iran, by a bombing followed by a gunfight. In 2018, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s identified Fakhrizadeh as a target for his administration, and in the past, Israel has assassinated other Iranian nuclear scientists. Moreover, reports over the past week indicated that the Israeli government instructed its senior military officials to prepare for a possible US strike on Iran. The assassination also follows recent reports that Donald Trump contemplated bombing Iran’s nuclear facility, before being talked out of it by Pentagon leaders. 

Iran has been acting with extreme patience these past few years. Since Donald Trump tore up the JCPOA agreement in 2018, showing Iran that the US is not to be trusted to make good on its word, Iran has endured much in the past four years, including brutal sanctions affecting everything from the price of food and housing to the ability to obtain life-saving medicines, the US’s illegal assassination of General Qasim Solemani, sabotage at one of their nuclear facilities (likely also committed by Israel), and attacks on other industries. Despite all this, Iran has not yet taken overt retaliation significant enough to lead to war. But whether or not they overtly and quickly retaliate this time, grave damage has been done and the world must respond with strong condemnation. The assassination of Fakhrizadeh has sent a clear message that Israel was given a green light by the US to act illegally and with impunity against Iran. This will likely harden positions inside Iran, making it far more difficult for Joe Biden to revive diplomacy. 

ACTION: Add your name now to our call to world leaders, including Biden, to condemn this outrageous and provocative act of war and assault on diplomacy.

Towards diplomacy, 
Ariel, Leila, Medea, and the entire CODEPINK team: Angela, Ann, Carley, Caty, Cody, Danaka, Emily, Farida, Jodie, Kelsey, Leonardo, Maxine, Mary, Michelle, Nancy, Paki, Teri, and Yousef

Condemn the Murder of Mohsen Fakhrizadeh

CODEPINK

Thank you for signing our petition to Joe Biden and other world leaders asking them to condemn Israel’s dangerous assassination of top Iranian scientist Mohsen Fakhrizadeh. This is a vile assault on diplomacy that places severe roadblocks in the way of the incoming Biden administration’s attempts to successfully engage diplomatically with Iran. 

Trump’s tweets following the assassination indicate his approval and it is altogether possible that his administration was involved in the action. No matter how much Trump paints himself as the anti-war president, the truth is he has torn up the Iran Nuclear Deal, imposed sanctions and given Israel a green light to commit acts of terrorism. We will continue to identify him as the dangerous warmonger that he is and push back against his policies, including further arming of the Middle East.

ACTION: Send a message now to Congress telling them to block Trump’s weapons sales deal with the UAE.

Please forward this email on to others who may want to sign.  Here’s the full petition: 

Condemn the Assassination of Iranian Scientist Mohsen Fakhrizadeh

To world leaders, including President-elect Joe Biden, 

The assassination of Iranian nuclear scientist Mohsen Fakhrizadeh is a vile assault on diplomacy and dangerous action, risking escalation and the possibility of dragging the US into a new Middle East war. 

On Friday, November 27, 2020, in an act of flagrant disregard for international law, Israel carried out the assassination of Iran’s top nuclear scientist Mohsen Fakhrizadeh. The assassination takes place during an extremely sensitive time as the US is in its last days of the Trump administration and President-elect Joe Biden is hoping to reengage diplomatically with Iran. The attack follows: 

• President Trump withdrawing the US from the Iran Nuclear Deal in 2018, despite Iran’s compliance with the deal;
• The reimposition of brutal US sanctions against Iran, affecting even the country’s ability to obtain life-saving medications;
• Past assassinations of Iranian scientists by Israel;
• The extra-judicial execution by the US of Iran’s top general, Qasim Solemaini, in January 2020, almost resulting in an all-out war between the US and Iran;
• Numerous sabotage acts inside Iran, likely by Israel and/or the MEK, of nuclear facilities and industries.

If Iran retaliates quickly and directly to the assassination of Fakhrizadeh, it could result in rapid violent escalation between Israel and Iran that could draw the US into an all-out war. Even if Iran waits until later to respond, either directly or indirectly, the effects of Israel’s actions will be significant in hindering the incoming Biden administration’s efforts to successfully engage diplomatically with Iran, including reentering the Iran Nuclear Deal.

To mitigate the effects of this vile assault on diplomacy, world leaders must condemn the assassination of Fakhrizadeh and its illegality under international law. The last time an Iranian nuclear scientist was assassinated by the Israeli Mossad, in 2012, the US government condemned the attack and President-elect Joe Biden must do so now.

If the assassination of Fakhrizadeh was facilitated or jointly coordinated with the Trump administration, such involvement must be condemned and it would constitute further evidence that Trump, Secretary of State Mike Pompeo, Special Envoy Elliott Abrams, and other members of the outgoing administration are doing everything in their power to prevent the incoming Biden administration from succeeding in their stated efforts to make peace with Iran. 

Sincerely,

Your friends can sign here: http://www.codepink.org/mohsenfakhrizadeh?recruiter_id=720081