Since the incident, security forces in Iran have launched a manhunt for Antzari’s host suspected of poisoning. However, according to the same sources already on the evening when the meal took place, the host fled the country in the dead of night.
Yesterday it was reported that Dr. Job Antzari was responsible for a number of major aerospace projects on Yazd’s technology campus. According to the report, upon returning from dinner, the Iranian scientist’s condition deteriorated and he was taken to Sayyid a-Shuhada Bizd Hospital. The report stated that he suffered from internal bleeding and despite the doctors’ efforts – his death was determined two hours after he was taken to the hospital.
Iran denies the reports, claiming that Antzari was a full-time man who worked in an industrial plant. According to them, one of his relatives “published lies on the networks – and the police will take care of him.” Authorities, where they continue to insist he died of an illness, ordered the certificate revoked shortly thereafter.
“May affect Iran’s motivation to respond”
“The deaths of two Iranian scientists are added to reports of cyber attacks and the departure of a senior member of Unit 840,” wrote the director of the Institute for National Security Studies and former head of the Armed Forces, Maj. Gen. Tamir Heiman, on his Twitter account. But from a strategic point of view. ”
“While the New York Times allegedly took Israel out of the closet in the case of the thwarting of the deputy commander of Unit 840, who was reportedly responsible, among other things, for planning assassinations against Israelis abroad. “This time there is ambiguity around the incidents (and it is good that this is the case), and yet it must be examined whether the Iranians will also choose to attribute the recent events to Israel, which will affect the increased motivation to react in what they call ‘deterrence equations’.”
Hyman added: “In the broad context, we must remember some important events – Prime Minister Bennett’s meeting with the CEO of SBA this week, the convening of the SBA Board of Governors later this week and the continued shuffle in negotiations to return to a nuclear agreement, all in parallel with the announcement. “On specific warnings regarding harm to Israelis in Turkey.”
“We must also mention Prime Minister Bennett’s strategy for dealing with Iran, which in some places has been called ‘death by 1,000 cuts’ – if it is indeed a regime of overthrowing a regime, it will probably take a long time. “We are not interested in this at this stage. The complementary move is a nuclear agreement which will ensure that while this strategy is being implemented Iran will not continue to advance in the nuclear program.”
Antzari’s death joins a string of other incidents and assassinations in Iran in the past month. About two weeks ago, Quds Force officer Hassan Siad Khodayari was assassinated. On Thursday, Iranian media reported that another commander in Unit 840 of the Quds Force of the Revolutionary Guards died this week – Ali Ismailazadeh after falling from a roof. The various and contradictory reports raised questions about the circumstances of his death – whether it was a suicide or assassination. The suspected death of Dr. Cameron Malafor, a nuclear expert who worked at the Natanz facility in Isfahan province, has also been reported in recent days.