Economist Podcasts Nuclear-war head: assassination in Iran
Dec 1, 2020
Tim Cross, Technology Editor for The Economist, shares his insights on the assassination of Iran's top nuclear scientist and its potential repercussions on U.S.-Iran relations. He discusses how recent AI advancements, particularly in predicting protein structures, could revolutionize medical treatments and tackling diseases. The conversation also touches on Europe's effective COVID-19 lockdowns, which highlight the benefits of lighter restrictions, all weaving a narrative of science intersecting with global geopolitics.
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Assassination of Iranian Nuclear Scientist
- Mohsin Fakhrizadeh, Iran's top nuclear scientist, was assassinated.
- This occurred amidst Iran's clandestine nuclear ambitions and hoped-for diplomacy with the incoming US administration.
Preemptive Strike Against Diplomacy?
- The assassination of Mohsin Fakhrizadeh could be an attempt to sabotage US-Iran diplomacy before Biden takes office.
- Israel, who Iran blames, has a history of targeting Iranian nuclear scientists.
Symbolic Assassination
- Though Fakhrizadeh held crucial nuclear knowledge, his assassination might be more symbolic than strategic.
- Iran now has more nuclear scientists, lessening the impact of his loss.