NEAR EAST
15 years since the martyrdom of the father of nuclear science in Iran
Assassinated by the Mossad, Majid Shahriari played a central role in advancing the country's nuclear program
Fifteen years after the assassination of Professor Majid Shahriari on November 29, 2010, Iranian authorities, universities and religious leaders paid tribute to the scientist, who was considered one of the main people responsible for the development of the country’s nuclear program. The attack, carried out by Mossad agents, marked a phase of operations aimed at preventing Iran’s technological advances.
Central researcher in the nuclear program
Shahriari, born in 1966 in the province of Zanjan, was educated entirely in Iran and became a full professor at Shahid Beheshti University in 2009. A specialist in nuclear engineering and mathematics applied to reactors, he was responsible for dozens of studies, academic guidelines and research projects that supported the expansion of national uranium enrichment capacities.
The Ministry of Science and academic leaders stressed this week that the training of autonomous scientific staff, a characteristic of Shahriari’s career, remains one of the country’s priorities.
Fight against Stuxnet
In 2010, Shahriari was part of the team set up to respond to the cyber attack known as Stuxnet, a digital weapon developed by the United States and “Israel” to damage Iran’s industrial and nuclear facilities. According to reports from colleagues, the professor worked daily for months analyzing the malicious code and decontaminating industrial systems. Authorities claim that the group’s action neutralized a large part of the virus’s effects.
Calculating 20% enrichment
Another episode recalled at the ceremonies was his participation in the Iranian project to produce uranium enriched to 20%. The then director of the Atomic Energy Organization of Iran, Ali Akbar Salehi, said that Shahriari had single-handedly undertaken the calculations needed to advance the program, a task considered central to the country’s technological autonomy at the time.
Recognition from colleagues and students
Teachers at Shahid Beheshti University pointed out that the professor held regular workshops to train groups of new researchers, a measure that allowed them to continue their studies after his death. Students also reported episodes of personal and academic support, a practice for which Shahriari became known within the institution.
Religious tributes
In speeches at religious schools and academic centers, Ayatollah Javadi Amoli reiterated that Shahriari was recognized for his dedication to religious practices and his austere character. He said that the scientist “transformed knowledge into an instrument of national defense”.
Family members also attended the ceremonies. His wife, who was in the car at the time of the explosion, recalled that the professor had been the target of threats since the cyber attacks of 2010.
The attack
The attack that martyred the professor took place on the morning of November 29, 2010, when a motorcycle approached the car in which Shahriari was traveling with his wife in Tehran. A magnetic bomb was attached to the driver’s door and then detonated.
Legacy
The Ministry of Atomic Energy stated that the nuclear program was not interrupted after the murders and that the projects under Shahriari’s responsibility were taken over by teams made up mostly of his own students. According to the ministry, recent advances in the sector reinforce the country’s independence in the development of nuclear technology.
