Edition

Majid Shahriyari Dead

IN THIS ISSUE: The sabotaging of Iran, Stuxnet virus targets revealed, Syria says mulls nuclear plant by 2020, U.S. to replace nuke delivery platforms, Pakistan doubles nuclear arsenal, local voters in favour of new Swiss plant.

Published on February 15, 2011
 
Image alt tag

The Sabotaging of Iran

Roula Khalaf, et al. | Financial Times

Ahmadinejad

Majid Shahriyari became an Iranian martyr while he was driving to work on an autumn day in Tehran. As he made his way along Artesh Boulevard, an explosive device ripped through his car. The 45-year-old was a devout man: Iranians would describe him as a Hizbollahi, a person fiercely loyal to the country's Islamic system and easily identified by his unshaven face and simple clothes. But Shahriyari also stood out for another reason. He was one of Iran's leading atomic scientists, an expert on nuclear chain reactions.

Iran has long maintained that its atomic programme is aimed at developing peaceful nuclear energy. But much of the outside world believes its true intention is to build a nuclear weapon. Either way, Shahriyari was indispensable. On November 29 2010, as the scientist and his wife were on their way to Shahid Beheshti University, where they worked as professors, a motorcycle pulled up alongside their car. The riders then attached an object to the driver's door window, and sped off. A few seconds later, an explosion blew the door off the left side of the car.  
   Full Article
Follow the Nuclear Policy Program
 RSS News Feed Twitter
Footer information begins here
More from Proliferation News


 
 
Jonathan Fildes | BBC News
A powerful internet worm repeatedly targeted five industrial facilities in Iran over 10 months, ongoing analysis by security researchers shows.     Full Article

 
 
Related Analysis
Fredrik Dahl | Reuters
Syria may build its first nuclear power plant by 2020 to meet growing energy demand, a document showed, despite international concern over Syrian stonewalling of a U.N. probe into allegations of covert atomic activity.     Full Article

Global Security Newswire
The Obama administration's fiscal 2012 budget request calls for the United States to replace the land-, air-, and sea-based components of its nuclear deterrent, potentially setting the nation on a course that could cost hundreds of billions of dollars over five decades.     Full Article

Alexander H. Rothman and Lawrence J. Korb | Bulletin of the Atomic Scientists
While Pakistan's nuclear buildup may be jarring at first glance, it is important to take a moment to examine what this development means and what it does not. Pakistan's entry into the "nuclear 100 club" does little to change the strategic situation in South Asia, nor does this determined pursuit of nuclear weapons signal a major policy shift in Pakistani behavior.     Full Article

World Nuclear News
Residents of the Swiss canton of Bern have expressed their support for the construction of a new nuclear power plant at Muhleberg in a local referendum, but Nidwalden residents registered their opposition to a nuclear waste repository.    Full Article
Carnegie does not take institutional positions on public policy issues; the views represented herein are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily reflect the views of Carnegie, its staff, or its trustees.