Israel Matzav

Iranian nuclear physicist assassinated by the Mossad?

Based on a report on Radio Farda, which is funded by the United States and broadcasts to Iran, today's Sunday Times of London is reporting that an Iranian nuclear physicist, 44-year old Ardeshire Hassanpour, has been assassinated by the Mossad.

Hassanpour worked at a plant in Isfahan where uranium hexafluoride gas is produced. The gas is needed to enrich uranium in another plant at Natanz which has become the focus of concerns that Iran may be developing nuclear weapons.

According to Radio Farda, Iranian reports of Hassanpour’s death emerged on January 21 after a delay of six days, giving the cause as “gas poisoning”. The Iranian reports did not say how or where Hassanpour was poisoned but his death was said to have been announced at a conference on nuclear safety.

Rheva Bhalla of Stratfor, the US intelligence company, claimed on Friday that Hassanpour had been targeted by Mossad and that there was “very strong intelligence” to suggest that he had been assassinated by the Israelis, who have repeatedly threatened to prevent Iran acquiring the bomb.

I find this hard to believe for two reasons. First, consider the source. Blaming the death of a nuclear physicist on the Israelis is just the sort of story that many Iranians crave. And it's far more sinister than to say that he died of natural causes. Second, if Stratfor has "very strong intelligence," when will it be put on the table? Without further evidence, I find this to be another of the Sunday Times' sensationalist stories, even if the byline is not from Uzi Mahnaimi.

posted by Carl in Jerusalem @ 3:11 PM