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MONDAY, NOVEMBER 23, 2009
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Iran Fingers US in Scientist's Disappearance

Researcher, AWOL in Saudi Arabia, rumored to work at Qom facility

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(Newser) – Iran’s foreign minister has accused the US of conspiring with Saudi Arabia in the disappearance of Shahram Amiri, a scientist thought to be involved in Iran’s nuclear program. Amiri disappeared four months ago on a pilgrimage to Saudi Arabia—around the time President Obama asked for a report on the Qom facility. “We’ve obtained documents about US involvement,” Manouchehr Mottaki said yesterday. “We hold Saudi Arabia responsible for Shahram Amiri’s situation and consider the US to be involved in his arrest.”

Amiri is a researcher at a university connected to Iran’s Revolutionary Guard, and was on an EU list last year of scientists involved in Iran’s nuclear activities. Links to the Qom facility are unconfirmed, the Washington Post reports, but an Iranian news site is claiming he defected to the US with info on the facility. A State Department spokesman professed ignorance about the case. An Iranian analyst said the government was probably worried Amiri had defected.

This satellite image taken Saturday Sept. 26, 2009, provided by GeoEye shows a facility under construction inside a mountain located about 20 miles north northeast of Qom, Iran.
This satellite image taken Saturday Sept. 26, 2009, provided by GeoEye shows a facility under construction inside a mountain located about 20 miles north northeast of Qom, Iran.   (AP Photo/GeoEye Satellite Image, IHS Jane's Analysis)
Iranian Foreign Minister Manouchehr Mottaki speaks during a joint press conference with his Turkish counterpart Ahmet Davutoglu, unseen, in Tehran, Iran, Saturday, Sept. 12, 2009.
Iranian Foreign Minister Manouchehr Mottaki speaks during a joint press conference with his Turkish counterpart Ahmet Davutoglu, unseen, in Tehran, Iran, Saturday, Sept. 12, 2009.   (AP Photo/Vahid Salemi)
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11 comments
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polstroad
Oct 8, 09 8:49 AM CDT
What we do know: The Saudis, like others in the region, worried about Iran getting nukes so would help US...Saudis also (along with Jordan) have mentioned that they too might try to develop nukes. Reply
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0
Timinator2K
Oct 8, 09 8:55 AM CDT
Iran wants nukes? Let's give them their wish...along with mushroom clouds. Reply
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-8
IN RESPONSE:
RockyPneumonia
Oct 8, 09 9:23 AM CDT
Did typing that make you feel like a Real Man?
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+7
IN RESPONSE:
bewilderbeast
Oct 9, 09 9:44 AM CDT
Another easy solution by Tim2K the hero-by-proxy ("send em in, I'll shout from the sidelines").
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Fondue
Oct 8, 09 9:16 AM CDT
How much you want to bet Amiri will be living a nice quiet life blending into a free Western society in the coming years? Because if he ever shows up in Iran, he's a dead man. Reply
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+6

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