Mohammad Javad Zarif
Mohammad Javad ZarifReuters

Iran accused Israel of ‘state terrorism’, claiming that ‘terrorists’ acting on Israel’s behalf were behind the killing of a top Iranian nuclear scientist.

In a tweet in French Sunday evening, Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif called on the European Union to take Israel to task for what he called “state terrorism”, after Mohsen Fakhrizadeh was killed Friday afternoon.

“The terrorists murdered a great Iranian scientist,” Zarif tweeted.

“This cowardice, with clear signs of Israel's role, illustrates the warmongering of its desperate leaders. Iran calls on the world community, including the EU, to abandon the double standard and condemn this state terrorism.”

Over the weekend, the European Union issued a statement condemning Fakhrizadeh’s assassination, calling it a criminal act, but did not single out Israel.

“This is a criminal act and runs counter to the principle of respect for human rights the EU stands for,” an EU Spokesperson for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy said in a statement.

“The High Representative expresses his condolences to the family members of the individuals who were killed, while wishing a prompt recovery to any other individuals who may have been injured,” added the statement.

“In these uncertain times, it is more important than ever for all parties to remain calm and exercise maximum restraint in order to avoid escalation which cannot be in anyone’s interest,” it concluded.