TEHRAN, 30 November 2020, (TON): Iran will give a “calculated and decisive” response to the killing of its top nuclear scientist, said a top adviser to Iran’s supreme leader, while a hard-line newspaper suggested Tehran’s revenge should include striking the Israeli port, city of Haifa.

Head of Iran’s Strategic Council on Foreign Relations Kamal Kharrazi, said in a statement “Undoubtedly, Iran will give a calculated and decisive answer to the criminals who took Martyr Mohsen Fakhrizadeh from the Iranian nation.”

Fakhrizadeh, long suspected by Western and Israeli government of masterminding a secret nuclear weapons program, was ambushed on a highway near Tehran on Friday and gunned down in his car.

Iran’s clerical and military rulers have blamed the Iran’s long-time enemy, Israel, for the killing. Iran has in the past accused Israel of killing several Iranian nuclear scientists since 2010.

Israel Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s office has declined to comment on the killing.

Iranian hardline media called for tough revenge. Editor-in-chief Saadollah Zarei in an opinion piece wrote “the attack should be carried out in such a way that in addition to destroying the facilities, it should also cause heavy human casualties.”

Earlier, Soleimani’s death led to Iran retaliating with a ballistic missile barrage that injured dozens of American troops in Iraq. Tehran also has forces at its disposal all around Israel but they may face political and military difficulties by striking Israel this time. As Iran is already in difficult situation added by this anger and frustration; and have nothing to lose much. So, they may intend to carry out the strike.