Castro accuses West of `butchery" of Iranian scientists

Cuban leader says US, UK, Israel aim at undermining Iran`s nuclear program.

Havana: Cuban leader Fidel Castro accused the United States, Britain and Israel on Friday of organising the "butchery" of Iranian scientists to undermine Tehran`s nuclear program and torpedo international negotiations.

"What would Einstein say?," Castro wrote in an article published by the local press.

The 84-year-old Castro pointed to reports in the international press in charging that the intelligence services of the three countries had carried out the "coordinated disappearance" of Iranian nuclear scientists.

"There are other serious developments related to the butchery of scientists, organised by Israel, the United States, Britain and other powers," he wrote.

He said several Iranian scientists have been assassinated since 2007, including Massoud Ali Mohammadi, who was killed near his home January 2010 when a motorcycle rigged with a bomb exploded.

At the time, the United States rejected as "absurd" an Iranian charge that the killing was carried out by a "triangle of the Zionist regime, America and their mercenaries in Iran”.

"I do not remember another moment in history in which the assassination of scientists has become official policy of a group of powers armed with nuclear weapons," Castro said.

He warned that Iran could retaliate in kind.

"For religious and cultural reasons, (Iran) could surpass them many times over in the willingness of its citizens to die at a moment`s notice if Iran were to apply the same absurd and criminal formula to its adversaries` professionals," Castro wrote.

He noted the actions against the Iranian scientists took place in the run-up to the resumption of talks between Iran and the world powers expected January 20 in Istanbul.

Bureau Report

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