Iran’s FM Blasts US, UK on Assassination of Scientist

Iran's Foreign Ministry has blasted the US and UK governments for their apparent roles in assassinating Iranian scientist Mostafa Ahmadi Roshan in two strongly-worded protest notes.

Ahmadi Roshan was assassinated on Wednesday, after an unknown motorcyclist attached a sticky bomb to his car near Allameh Tabatabaei University in Tehran, killing him instantly.

The note to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs pointed to the assassination of Iranian nuclear scientists immediately followed the remarks of head of the British Secret Intelligence Service (MI6) John Sawers, who discussed the launch of intelligence operations against Iran.

The note read that Iran's Foreign Ministry "voices its strong protest to the outcome of the mentioned British approach and underscores that the Uk is responsible for such acts of terror."

In a separate note addressed to the US government, which was sent via the Swiss Embassy which represents the US in Iran, the Iranian Foreign Ministry said diplomatic notes from Tehran about evidence of American support for anti-Iran terrorist groups have remained unanswered or have been met with Washington's approving silence.

"Based on credible evidence and reliable intelligence, this terrorist operation [on January 11] was carried out with the guidance, support, and planning of the US Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) and the direct complicity of its elements. Thus the direct responsibility (of the terrorist attack) lies with the (US) government."

The note warned the US government to immediately end terrorist operations targeting the lives of Iranian citizens.

On Friday, a funeral procession was held for the Iranian nuclear scientist Mostafa Ahmadi Roshan.

Muslim Iranians attended the funeral ceremony held in the Iranian capital after Friday prayers.

The mourners shouted slogans against the United States and "Israel" and called on the authorities to bring the perpetrators to justice.

Ahmadi Roshan is not the first Iranian nuclear scientist targeted by a terrorist attack.

In November, 2010, Majid Shahriari, another scientist, was killed in a terrorist attack and Dr. Fereydoun Abbasi, the current head of the Atomic Energy Organization of Iran, sustained some injuries.

Professor Masoud Ali-Mohammadi, another scholar at Tehran University, was also assassinated by a booby-trapped motorbike in the Iranian capital in January 2010.

Source:  News Agencies, edited by moqawama.org