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    January 11, 2012

Bombing Kills Iranian Nuclear Scientist

   VOA News
   Photo provided by the International Iran Photo Agency shows Iranian
   security forces standing guard around the site of an explosion near a
   university in Tehran, January 11, 2012. Photo: AP
   Photo provided by the International Iran Photo Agency shows Iranian
   security forces standing guard around the site of an explosion near a
   university in Tehran, January 11, 2012.

   Iranian media say a bomb blast in Tehran has killed a university
   professor who also worked as a scientist on Iran's nuclear program.
   The Fars news agency said two unidentified people on a motorcycle
   planted the bomb under the car of Mostafa Ahmadi Roshan, killing him
   and his driver on Wednesday. The report said a passerby was wounded by
   the blast in the northern part of the capital.
   In statements, Iran blamed the attack on Israel and the United States.
   Iran's Vice-President Mohammad Reza Rahimi told state television that
   the incident will not stop the country from advancing its nuclear
   activities.
   In response, the United States said it "had absolutely nothing to do''
   with the blast that killed Roshan. White House spokesman Tommy Vietor
   said the U.S. strongly condemns the attack and all acts of violence.
   Earlier, a State Department spokeswoman said she would not discuss the
   matter of who may have been behind the attack.
   Iran's Fars agency said 32-year-old Roshan supervised a department at
   the Natanz nuclear facility, Iran's main enrichment site. Iran has been
   enriching uranium to relatively low levels at the above-ground site.
   The attack comes a day after Iranian officials confirmed that a new
   underground complex has started refining uranium, and diplomats with
   ties to the U.N. nuclear agency say the work is being done at a much
   higher lever of purity.
   Attackers have killed or wounded several Iranian nuclear scientists in
   recent years, including blasts in late 2010 that state media also
   attributed to bombs placed on cars by motorcyclists.
   The U.N. Security Council has imposed four sets of sanctions on Iran
   for refusing to stop enrichment work, which has civilian and military
   uses. Later this month, the European Union will discuss a possible oil
   export embargo to further pressure on Iran.
   Western powers accuse Iran of trying to develop a nuclear weapon.
   Tehran says its nuclear ambitions are peaceful.
   On Tuesday, Israeli military chief Lieutenant General Benny Gantaz told
   parliamentarians that 2012 would be a "critical year" for Iran because
   things would happen to the country in an unnatural way.

   Some information for this report was provided by AP, AFP and Reuters.
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