News

New America Foundation/Iran Initiative Director and Race for Iran Publisher Flynt Leverett appeared on World Focus last night to discuss the assassination of Masoud Ali Mohammadi, an Iranian nuclear physics professor.

Leverett began by saying that it is highly unlikely that the United States was directly involved in the assassination.

He noted, however, that the United States has conducted a series of covert activities as part of a $400 million program that began during the George W. Bush administration – and that it is possible that an individual or group that has received U.S. funding as part of this program could be responsible for the assassination.

Leverett also discussed several U.S. policies aimed at slowing Iran’s nuclear program, including international export controls and the Proliferation Security Initiative – a program to interdict shipments of various materials to Iran. He also noted evidence that the United States has sought to have faulty nuclear equipment sent to Iran.

Leverett emphasized that these efforts are unlikely to fundamentally disturb a dedicated nuclear program and will not generate strategic leverage in negotiations with the Islamic Republic.