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Ìýhas denied a Ìýthat Israel assassinated a top Iranian nuclear scientist on November 2020 using a remote gun.

Iranian foreign ministry spokesperson Saeed Khatibzadeh dismissed the story about howÌýIsrael used aÌýrobot to take out one of Israel's most heavily guarded officials, Mohsen Fakhrizadeh.

Khatibzadeh added thatÌýIranianÌýsecurity and intelligence bodies have already detailed reports of the incident, which includeÌý"all those who had participated" in the operation.

The leading Iranian scientist, Fakhrizadeh,Ìý last year in Tehran, was killed by a remotely controlled robot machine gun by IsraeliÌýMossad operatives from hundreds of miles away, according to theÌýNYT report published on Saturday.

It said Fakhrizadeh, known asÌýthe "father" of Iran's nuclear weapons programme, was shot with a computerisedÌýBelgian-made FN MAG machine gun attached to a robot apparatus and powered by artificial intelligence.

The NYTÌýreport was based on interviews with American, Israeli and Iranian officials, "including two intelligence officials familiar with the details of the planning and execution of the operation".

was watching Fakhrizadeh, who was also an officer in the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, and his movements since 2007.

Preparations for his assassination started in late 2019 in meetings held between the then-Mossad director,Ìý,Ìýand high-ranking US officials, including then-US President , the NYT report claims.

"If Israel was going to kill a top Iranian official, an act that had the potential to start a war, it needed the assent and protection of the United States,"ÌýtheÌýreportÌýsaid.

An that the world should thank Israel for the assassination due toÌýFakhrizadeh's alleged role in aiding Iran with its aspirationsÌýto nuclear weapons.

FakhrizadehÌýwas killedÌýwhilst travelling with his wife to their country home in East Tehran. As bullets were shot, the scientist left his car and crouched down before being hit with three more bullets and collapsingÌýon the road.

The device used in the assassination weighed around a ton and was smuggled into Iran in small parts ahead of the operation before beingÌýreassembled, according to NYT. Fifteen bullets were fired in total with the assassination taking less than a minute to complete.

At the time, Iran's Revolutionary Guards said thatÌýa satellite-controlled gun with "artificial intelligence" was used in the attack, which Tehran immediatelyÌýblamed onÌýIsrael. IranÌývowed to take revenge once its investigations were concluded.