Iran to boost security for nuclear scientists

Iranian atomic chief said expert's assassination was warning before talks next week.

By Ali Akbar Dareini

TEHRAN, Iran — Iran said Wednesday it will increase security for its nuclear scientists as a funeral was held for an expert killed in a mysterious assassination that the government blamed on the CIA and Israel's Mossad.

Iranian state media said the killing of the scientist and the wounding of another on Monday was part of a Western campaign to sabotage its nuclear program, which the U.S. and its allies suspect is aimed at producing weapons — something Iran denies.

According to Iran, that campaign included the abduction of Iranian scientists, the sale of faulty equipment and the planting of a destructive computer worm known as Stuxnet, which briefly brought Iran's uranium enrichment activity to a halt last month.

The two scientists were targeted with bombs on their cars in separate parts of the capital. Tehran's police chief has said assailants on motorcycles stuck magnetized bombs to their cars while they were moving through traffic and detonated them seconds later.

Defense Minister Gen. Ahmad Vahidi accused Israel's Mossad spy agency of enlisting agents of an Iranian opposition group, the People's Mujahedeen, to carry out the attack. There was also coordination with the CIA and Britain's MI6 spy agency, he claimed.

The U.S. denied any involvement, while Israeli officials refused to comment.

Deputy Interior Minister for Security Affairs Ali Abdollahi said "protection for academics will be pursued more seriously."

Iran's nuclear chief, Ali Akbar Salehi, said Wednesday that the assassination was a warning to Iran before nuclear talks next week.

"The wicked people wanted to demonstrate their ugly side, which is the policy of carrot and stick, prior to the upcoming nuclear talks," Salehi said at the funeral.

source: http://www.statesman.com/news/world/iran-to-boost-security-for-nuclear-scientists-1091769.html?cxtype=rss_news