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Parsing Iranian Responses to the Killing of Mohsen Fakhrizadeh
(Long War Journal-Foundation for Defense of Democracies) Behnam Ben Taleblu - The outpouring of commentary in Iran after Fakhrizadeh's death helps shed light on Tehran's immediate political concerns, security imperatives, as well as prospects for retaliation and escalation. The media have casted Fakhrizadeh as another nuclear "martyr" to "sanctify" his career, thus making his life's work (and ultimately, death) in the service of the regime on par with service to Iran's official religion (Twelver Shiite Islam). While the Iranian parliament doesn't make nuclear policy, it approved a bill that contains a trigger should Iran not receive major sanctions relief within two months. Foreign Minister Mohammad-Javad Zarif appears to understand the leverage this provides to potentially scare Washington back into the JCPOA. The writer is a senior fellow at FDD.