Iran's Foreign Ministry summoned the Azeri ambassador on Sunday, accusing Azerbaijan of assisting Israeli intelligence in the assassination of an Iranian nuclear scientist blown up last month, Iran's Fars news agency reported. Mostafa Ahmadi-Roshan was killed when two men on a motorcycle attached a magnetic bomb to his car on January 11.
The thirty-two year old academic worked at the Natanz uranium enrichment facility in central Iran. At least four scientists associated with Iran's nuclear programme have been assassinated since 2010 and a fifth was wounded in a bomb attack. Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei called Ahmadi-Roshan's killing a "cowardly act" and accused the United States and Israel of responsibility.
Iran says its nuclear programme is peaceful, but Western countries say it is aimed at building a nuclear bomb.
Israeli officials do not comment on whether they are behind the killings of Iranian scientists but have made clear they are pleased. Washington criticised the killing of Ahmadi-Roshan and denied blame.