Iran families suing US, Israel in nuclear scientist assassinations

GlobalPost

Governments of the US, Great Britain and Israel — or the "occupying Zionist regime" — are facing lawsuits in Iran today from families of assassinated nuclear scientists.

The family members are accusing the countries of involvement in the deaths of four scientists since 2010, The Associated Press reported.

"We've filed an indictment against the Zionist regime and the arrogant powers," said one father, Rahim Ahmadi Roshan, according to the AP. "(The judiciary) is to pursue this case with the relevant international bodies."

The latest attack came on Jan. 11 in Tehran when Mostafa Ahmadi Roshan, 32, and his driver died in a bomb blast.

The US and Great Britain have denied involvement, while Israel has not commented.

The state-backed Fars News Agency said the deaths will not slow Iran's pursuit of scientific achievements.

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Western powers accuse Iran of trying to build nuclear weapons, while Iran says it is attempting to build reactors for power and medical isotopes.

"We announce to the world through this lawsuit that assassination of nuclear elites and scientists by the arrogant powers, spearheaded by the US, Britain and the usurper Zionist regime are far from humanity and human principles and announce our protest against inhuman acts," the lawsuit says, according to Fars.

The lawsuit comes as Germany arrested four for supplying Iran with nuclear components, Reuters reported.

Police arrested a German and three German-Iranian citizens for trying to deliver heavy water reactor valves in 2010 and 2011.

"The deliveries were part of an order worth several million euros which Iran was trying to use to secure the necessary valve technology to make a heavy water reactor," a news release from prosecutors said.

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