A spokesman for Iran’s Atomic Energy Organisation said at the time that
Ali-Mohammadi, a 50-year-old Tehran University professor, was not involved
in its activities.
The most recent attack on an Iranian scientist occurred in January. Mostafa
Ahmadi-Roshan – a deputy director of the Natanz uranium enrichment facility
– was killed when a magnetic bomb planted on his vehicle detonated.
Israel has a policy of not commenting on the allegations but an unnamed
Israeli source previously said the daylight killings provoked panic in
surviving colleagues and generate a phenomenon Mossad veterans dub “virtual
defection” which hinders Iran’s nuclear progress.
Last month, Iranian intelligence officials said they had arrested 15 people
they called a “major terror and sabotage network with links to the
Zionist regime”. The group had plotted to assassinate an Iranian
scientist in February, the authorities said.
Iranian officials have also accused Israel of infiltrating neighbouring
Azerbaijan to organise attacks against the Islamic Republic.
Unsubstantiated reports in the Iranian media earlier this month said Israel
has pushed for the transfer Of 1,200 members of the exiled Iranian rebel
group Mujahideen Khalq Organisation (MKO) from their base in Iraq to
Azerbaijan.
Late last year Israel distanced itself from the MKO’s efforts to be removed
from the U.S. terrorism blacklist, saying it did not consider the group to
be “an asset”.
Iran denies Western accusations it is seeking to develop a nuclear weapons
capability, but major powers are pushing Tehran to become more transparent
and cooperative ahead of talks later this month.
Israel says it could attack Iran if it thinks that is the only way to stop it
from getting nuclear arms.
William Hague, the Foreign Secretary, on Monday warned the European Union
would impose tougher sanctions on Iran if it failed to take concrete steps
to allay international concerns over its nuclear programme.
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