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Iran car explosion kills nuclear scientist in Tehran | |
(40 minutes later) | |
A university lecturer and nuclear scientist has been killed in a car explosion in north Tehran. | |
Mostafa Ahmadi-Roshan, an academic who also worked at the Natanz uranium enrichment facility, and another unidentified person were killed in the attack. | Mostafa Ahmadi-Roshan, an academic who also worked at the Natanz uranium enrichment facility, and another unidentified person were killed in the attack. |
The blast happened after a motorcyclist stuck an apparent bomb to the car. | The blast happened after a motorcyclist stuck an apparent bomb to the car. |
Several Iranian nuclear scientists have been assassinated in recent years, with Iran blaming Israel and the US. | Several Iranian nuclear scientists have been assassinated in recent years, with Iran blaming Israel and the US. |
Both countries deny the accusations. | Both countries deny the accusations. |
The assassination on Wednesday of another Iranian nuclear scientist may now prompt Iran to try to respond in kind. | |
The murder in Tehran of Mostafa Ahmadi-Roshan comes on top of a sophisticated cyber sabotage programme and two mysterious explosions at Iranian military bases, one of which in November killed the general known as 'the godfather' of Iran's ballistic missile programme. | |
No-one is claiming responsibility for these attacks but Iran blames its longstanding enemy, Israel, and occasionally the US. | |
Whoever is behind them, Iran is clearly being subjected to an undeclared campaign to slow down its nuclear programme. | |
Iran's Vice-President Mohammad Reza Rahimi told state television that the attack against Mr Ahmadi-Roshan would not stop "progress" in the country's nuclear programme. | Iran's Vice-President Mohammad Reza Rahimi told state television that the attack against Mr Ahmadi-Roshan would not stop "progress" in the country's nuclear programme. |
He called the killing "evidence of [foreign] government-sponsored terrorism". | He called the killing "evidence of [foreign] government-sponsored terrorism". |
Local sources said Wednesday's blast took place at a faculty of Iran's Allameh Tabatai university. | Local sources said Wednesday's blast took place at a faculty of Iran's Allameh Tabatai university. |
Two others were reportedly also injured in the blast, which took place near Gol Nabi Street, in the north of the capital. | Two others were reportedly also injured in the blast, which took place near Gol Nabi Street, in the north of the capital. |
'Magnetic bomb' | 'Magnetic bomb' |
Mr Ahmadi-Roshan, 32, was a graduate of Sharif University and supervised a department at Natanz uranium enrichment facility in Isfahan province, semi-official news agency Fars reported. | Mr Ahmadi-Roshan, 32, was a graduate of Sharif University and supervised a department at Natanz uranium enrichment facility in Isfahan province, semi-official news agency Fars reported. |
"The bomb was a magnetic one and the same as the ones previously used for the assassination of the scientists, and the work of the Zionists [Israelis]," deputy Tehran governor Safarali Baratloo said. | "The bomb was a magnetic one and the same as the ones previously used for the assassination of the scientists, and the work of the Zionists [Israelis]," deputy Tehran governor Safarali Baratloo said. |
Witnesses said they had seen two people on the motorbike fix the bomb to the car, reported to be a Peugeot 405. A second person died in the attack though the car itself remained virtually intact. | Witnesses said they had seen two people on the motorbike fix the bomb to the car, reported to be a Peugeot 405. A second person died in the attack though the car itself remained virtually intact. |
The BBC's Mohsen Asgari, in Tehran, says that the explosion was caused by a targeted, focussed device intended to kill one or two people and small enough not to be heard from far away. | |
The latest attack comes almost two years to the day since Massoud Ali Mohammadi, a 50-year-old university lecturer at Tehran University, was killed by a remote-controlled bomb as he left his home in Tehran on 12 January 2010. | The latest attack comes almost two years to the day since Massoud Ali Mohammadi, a 50-year-old university lecturer at Tehran University, was killed by a remote-controlled bomb as he left his home in Tehran on 12 January 2010. |
Nuclear suspicions | Nuclear suspicions |
Reports at the time described Dr Mohammadi as a nuclear physicist, but it later appeared that he was an expert in another branch of physics. | Reports at the time described Dr Mohammadi as a nuclear physicist, but it later appeared that he was an expert in another branch of physics. |
There was also confusion as to whether the attack had any domestic political overtones because of reports about his apparent links to an opposition presidential candidate. | There was also confusion as to whether the attack had any domestic political overtones because of reports about his apparent links to an opposition presidential candidate. |
However, in August 2011, an Iranian man - Majid Jamali Fashi - was sentenced to death for the killing, with state authorities saying he was paid by Israel's Mossad spy agency. Israel does not comment on such claims. | However, in August 2011, an Iranian man - Majid Jamali Fashi - was sentenced to death for the killing, with state authorities saying he was paid by Israel's Mossad spy agency. Israel does not comment on such claims. |
Of the latest attack, Fars reports that the bombing method appears similar to another 2010 bombing which injured former university professor Fereydun Abbasi-Davani, now the head of the country's atomic energy organisation. | Of the latest attack, Fars reports that the bombing method appears similar to another 2010 bombing which injured former university professor Fereydun Abbasi-Davani, now the head of the country's atomic energy organisation. |
There has been much controversy over Iran's nuclear activities. | There has been much controversy over Iran's nuclear activities. |
Tehran says its nuclear programme is for peaceful energy purposes, but the US and other Western nations suspect it of seeking to build nuclear weapons. | Tehran says its nuclear programme is for peaceful energy purposes, but the US and other Western nations suspect it of seeking to build nuclear weapons. |
In a statement quoted on Iranian television on Wednesday, the country's atomic energy agency said its nuclear path was "irreversible", despite mounting international pressure. | In a statement quoted on Iranian television on Wednesday, the country's atomic energy agency said its nuclear path was "irreversible", despite mounting international pressure. |