Iranian Defense Minister Gen. Amir Hatami pledged Monday that the assassination of Mohsen Fakhrizadeh, who headed Iran's military nuclear program, "will not stop the progress of Iran's nuclear program but will only accelerate it."
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Speaking at Fakhrizadeh's funeral, Hatami warned that Tehran would not leave the killing unavenged.
"The enemy knows full well that he cannot commit a crime without getting a response from the Iranian people. The martyr's blood will be remembered forever and the enemy made a mistake with this assassination," he vowed, adding the assassination would make Iranians "more united, more determined."
"For the continuation of your path, we will continue with more speed and more power," Hatami said at the funeral in an outdoor area of the Defense Ministry in Tehran.
He also condemns Arab countries that did not condemn the assassination, warning: "This will catch up with you someday."
Meanwhile, Iranian media reported that the country's intelligence services have been able to trace the weapons used in Fakhrizadeh's assassination back to Israel.
Iran's English-language Press TV cited an unnamed source as saying, "The weapon collected from the site of the terrorist act bears the logo and specifications of the Israeli military industry."
Speaking before the report aired, Israeli Intelligence Services Minister Eli Cohen told local radio station 103FM that he did not know who was responsible for the hit on Iran's nuclear chief.
Tehran named Israel as the culprit immediately following the incident. Israel is long believed to have eliminated several Iranian nuclear sciences in the past.
Israeli officials have not commented on the assassination.
While Iranian officials have made a myriad of threats against Israel and the US following Friday's incident, Tehran is aware of the daunting military and political difficulties involved in attacking Israel. Such an attack would also complicate any effort by US President-elect Joe Biden to revive detente with Tehran after he takes office on Jan. 20.
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