Iran's chief nuclear scientist and mastermind of its controversial nuclear program, Mohsen Fakhrizadeh Mahabadi was shot dead by what has been described as a sophisticated technology assassination on November 27. 

Iran claimed that artificial intelligence, a satellite guidance system, and facial recognition technology were all deployed to assassinate its chief scientist.

Fakrizadeh developed the Iranian nuke program

Fakhrizadeh served in the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) since 1979. He was a brigadier general in the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps and an academic physicist. He was a senior official of Iran’s nuclear program.

Fakhrizadeh developed and led the Organization of Defensive Innovation and Research and the Green Salt Project. In the early 2000s, he was on terrorist watchlists. In the mid-2000s, his assets were frozen by the United Nations Security Council and also by the United States.

Iran repeatedly argued that its nuclear program is only used for peaceful purposes. Israel, Saudi Arabia, India, the US, the U.N., and other countries accuse Tehran of continuing to develop lethal nuclear bombs under Fakhrizadeh’s program. The regime is arguably the world’s most dangerous sponsor of terrorism.

A high-tech murder in Iran

Iranian state-backed news agency, the Young Journalists Club (YJC), and Iranian military sources claimed that the murder was carried out remotely aided by satellite tracking, artificial intelligence, automatic remote control machine gun, and a bomb. 

The killing deployed an "advanced electronic tool" guided by a "satellite device," according to Second Brigadier General Ramazan Sharif, spokesman for the IIRGC.

IRGC Deputy Commander-In-Chief Sardar Ali Fadavi said it was a high-tech attack and satellite recognition of Fakhrizadeh's face that targeted him. "We've checked and found out that a satellite was controlling a machine gun remotely, and there was no terrorist at the scene," Fadavi said.

There are still many conflicting reports and unanswered questions about the attack. Most Iranian accounts agree that there was both gunfire and an explosion.

International security and intelligence experts doubt some of Iran’s claims that the Iranian nuclear scientist was targeted in such a sophisticated technology assassination. Either way, we are definitely on the dark side of technology.

The experts believe one or two drones flying underneath the radar could have completed the attack. They are uncertain whether facial recognition technology could have been effectively used since the nuclear scientist was traveling in an automobile at the time of his death.

The technology to target and fire from a remote-controlled vehicle does exist. But the equipment would need to be smuggled into Iran. It’s a lot of sophisticated gear to hide. Communications relays, satellite receivers, bombs, and an automatic gun would be needed.

Iran blames Israel

Iranian officials blamed Israel for the sophisticated technology assassination, and Supreme Leader Ayatollah Seyyed Ali Khamenei is promising to avenge his general. The Israeli government has not commented.

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