*Such acts will only contribute to pouring more fuel to the fire: FM


HE the Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs Sheikh Mohamed bin Abdulrahman al-Thani on Saturday made a phone call to Iranian foreign minister Dr Mohammad Javad Zarif.

During the call, they discussed bilateral cooperation relations and issues of common concern.

HE the Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs expressed during the call Qatar's strong condemnation of the bombing that took place in Tehran and the assassination of the scientist, Mohsen Fakhrizadeh, head of the Research and Innovation Organisation at the Iranian Ministry of Defence, in an armed attack, considering it a clear violation of human rights.

HE Sheikh Mohamed expressed Qatar's condolences to the government and the people of the Islamic Republic of Iran, stressing that such steps will only contribute to pouring more fuel to the fire at a time when the region and the international community are looking for ways to reduce tensions and return to the table of dialogue and diplomacy.

HE the Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs called for restraint and finding fundamental solutions for the outstanding issues.

For his part, Dr Zarif valued the stance of the government and people of Qatar, stressing the strength of the relations between the two countries.

Meanwhile, the United Nations urged restraint after tensions rose in the Middle East with the assassination of the top Iranian nuclear scientist.

Iran has blamed Israel for Friday's killing of Mohsen Fakhrizadeh and vowed revenge.

"We urge restraint and the need to avoid any actions that could lead to an escalation of tensions in the region," a UN spokesman said. "We condemn any assassination or extrajudicial killing."

A report from Tehran adds: Iran's supreme leader promised on Saturday to retaliate for the killing of the scientist, raising the threat of a new confrontation with the West and Israel in the remaining weeks of Donald Trump's presidency.

Ayatollah Ali Khamenei pledged to continue the work of Fakhrizadeh, who Western and Israeli governments believe was the architect of a secret Iranian nuclear weapons programme.

Friday's killing, which Iran's president was swift to blame on Israel, could complicate any efforts by President-elect Joe Biden to revive a detente with Tehran that was forged when he was in Barack Obama's administration.

Trump pulled Washington out of the 2015 international nuclear pact agreed between Tehran and major powers.

Khamenei, who is Iran's top authority and who says the country has never sought nuclear arms, said on Twitter that Iranian officials must take up the task of "pursuing this crime and punishing its perpetrators and those who commanded it".


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