Iran suspects Israel of poisoning scientists who were allegedly 'developing arms for Lebanon's Hezbollah'

Two Iranian scientists who recently died in separate incidents are suspected by Tehran to have been poisoned by Israel, according to the New York Times. 

Ayoub Entezari, 35, an aeronautical engineer who worked for a military research centre, and Kamran Aghamolaei, 31, a geologist, died on 31 May and 2 June respectively in two different cities. The exact details of their work remain unclear. 

Both were young and healthy before their death, according to multiple sources, in the days before their deaths. 

This Ayoob Entezari story is getting interesting.

Yesterday, the governor-general's office in Yazd Province handed a certificate to Entezari's family confirming his "martyrdom".

But later in the day, provincial judicial authorities said he had "died from a disease". https://t.co/eQ31YT3cEk

— Kian Sharifi (@KianSharifi) June 5, 2022

Some Israeli and Iranian news outlets, including The Times of Israel, claimed that Aghamolaei may have worked at Iran’s Natanz nuclear facility. 

Iran’s nuclear programme is a huge source of contention between the Islamic Republic and Israel and its western allies, and Tel Aviv has repeatedly been accused of assassinating Iranian scientists and senior members of its Revolutionary Guard.  

Exclusive: Unlike what the Islamic Republic claims, Ali Kamani and Mohammad Abdous were not killed in "accidents". They were both IRGC Aerospace Force officers and engineers who were engaged in "development of arms for Lebanon's Hezbollah", @IranIntl has learned. pic.twitter.com/3XliqnqArc

— Iran International English (@IranIntl_En) June 13, 2022

UK-based opposition outlet Iran International claims the two men were ‘developing arms for Lebanon’s Hezbollah’ - a powerful Shia militant group and political party that is devoted to the defeat of Israel.

If Tehran’s suspicions are true, the killings would fit into the broader background of a secret war between Israel and Iran. 

There have been a spate of killings in Iran linked to Israel over the past few weeks, including a senior member of the Revolutionary Guards, Hassan Sayad Khodayari, who was killed in a drive by shooting in Tehran. 

The killings come amid rising tensions between Iran and western states, who are attempting to salvage the 2015 nuclear deal.