Iran said one of its top nuclear scientists was assassinated Friday, with the country’s foreign ministry linking the killing to Israel.

Mohsen Fakhrizadeh, who was believed to be a driving force behind the country’s nuclear weapons programme, was killed in an attack on his car near Tehran, Iran’s defence ministry said. 

Israeli PM Benjamin Netanyahu previously described Mr Fakhrizadeh as heading Iran’s shelved missile programme.

“Remember that name, Fakhrizadeh," the Israeli PM said in 2018, showing a photograph of the scientist.

Iran’s foreign minister Javad Zarif said in a tweet on Friday that “terrorists murdered an eminent Iranian scientist.

“This cowardice — with serious indications of Israeli role — shows desperate warmongering of perpetrators.

“Iran calls on int'l community — and especially EU — to end their shameful double standards & condemn this act of state terror.”