Iran Blames Germany, France for Nuclear Scientist Killings

Iran has now spread the blame for assassinations of its nuclear scientists, asserting that German and French intelligence agencies were also involved in the killings.

The Islamic Republic previously accused Israel, the United States, and Britain of plotting the assassinations to set back its uranium enrichment program, which Western powers suspect is designed to develop nuclear weapons.

At least four scientists associated with Iran's nuclear program have been assassinated since 2010. Most recently, chemistry engineer Mostafa Ahmadi Roshan was killed on Jan. 11 with a bomb fixed to his car by a motorcyclist in Tehran.

The United States has denied a role in the killings, while Israel has declined to comment.

Iran’s Intelligence Minister Heydar Moslehi, referring to the killings, said on Friday: "We saw connections with the information services in Germany, France, Britain, Israel, the United States and regional intelligence agencies."

His statement came days after the European Union imposed a new ban on the import, purchase, and shipping of Iranian oil. Tougher U.S. sanctions went into effect on June 28.

Oliver Thraenert, head of the Zurich-based Center for Security Studies, said that “by accusing Western states of involvement in the assassinations, Moslehi could be signaling his opposition to any deal with them on the nuclear issue,” the Israeli newspaper Haaretz reported.

Thraenert said: "It might be the case that behind these allegations is an internal fight about whether Iran should seek a compromise with the Western countries. If you accuse a nation like Germany or France of being behind these assassinations of Iranian nuclear scientists, of course it is obvious that you cannot strike a deal with those countries.”

In a survey conducted in Iran by the Islamic Republic of Iran News Network this week, more than two-thirds of respondents opted for "the suspension of uranium enrichment in exchange for the gradual lifting of sanctions," in answer to the question: "Which way do you prefer to confront the unilateral sanctions of the West against Iran?"

Nearly 20 percent favored closing the Strait of Hormuz in retaliation for the sanctions.