by Our Correspondent in Doha
An Israeli military strike on Tehran has claimed the lives of at least six senior Iranian nuclear scientists, along with several top-ranking military commanders, according to initial Iranian reports.
The attack, carried out early Friday morning, reportedly targeted key scientific and military sites in the Iranian capital. Among the scientists confirmed killed are Dr. Abdolhamid Minoochehr, Ahmad Reza Zolfaqari, Seyed Amir Hossein Feqhi, Matlabizadeh, Mohammad Mahdi Tehranchi, and Fereydoon Abbasi — several of whom held prominent positions within Iran’s nuclear program.
Seyed Amir Hossein Feqhi, a professor at Shahid Beheshti University and deputy head of the Atomic Energy Organization of Iran, was among the most high-profile casualties. Reports also state that Dr. Matlabizadeh was killed alongside his wife during the strikes.
The assault also resulted in the deaths of key Iranian military leaders, including Major General Mohammad Hossein Baqeri, Chief of Staff of the Armed Forces; Major General Hossein Salami, Commander of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC); and Major General Gholam Ali Rashid, head of Iran’s Khatam al-Anbia Central Headquarters.
Supreme Leader Ayatollah Seyed Ali Khamenei issued a swift and stern warning in response, vowing retaliation against what he described as a “criminal act” by the Israeli regime. “With this crime, the Zionist regime has prepared for itself a bitter, painful fate, which it will definitely see,” he declared in a statement broadcast across state media.
Meanwhile, Iran’s Atomic Energy Organization issued a separate statement addressing the impact of the strikes on nuclear facilities. The Shahid Ahmadi Roshan Enrichment Complex in Natanz, a major component of Iran’s nuclear infrastructure, sustained structural damage in the attack. However, the AEOI confirmed that there were no casualties at the nuclear site.
“Investigations are underway to determine the level of the damage,” the statement read, while also assuring that no radiation or chemical substances have leaked from the facility.
The AEOI denounced the Israeli attack as a clear breach of international law, citing violations of United Nations Security Council resolutions and IAEA protocols. It also criticized the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) and its Director General for failing to condemn the Israeli threat and subsequent assault.
In unusually sharp language, the AEOI accused the IAEA of abandoning its impartiality and professionalism by failing to denounce repeated Israeli threats against Iranian nuclear sites. “Unfortunately, even after the attack, the Director General has not taken any action in this regard,” the statement read, alleging the IAEA has instead relied on “fake information” provided by the Israeli regime.
“The Agency has practically departed from the path of professionalism and impartiality,” the AEOI said. “It has degraded to the point of becoming a tool in the hands of the Zionist regime and has lost its credibility.”
The agency further stated that the IAEA’s inaction constitutes a setback to its own authority and mission, particularly in ensuring the security of peaceful nuclear facilities under its supervision.
Despite the attacks and international pressure, the AEOI emphasized that Iran’s nuclear scientists and staff remain undeterred. “Undoubtedly, political pressures, which this time have been accompanied by military pressures, will not undermine the determination of scientists, specialists and employees of this magnificent industry,” the agency said.
“These magnificent people, contrary to the wishes of their enemies, will pursue the country’s lofty goals in further advancing the nuclear industry with double motivation.”
