Hezbollah behind slaying of Iranian prof?

LONDON, Jan. 18 (UPI) -- Hezbollah forces in Iran assassinated Iranian physics Professor Massoud Ali Mohammadi using a remote-controlled bomb, an Iranian opposition group claimed.

Mohammadi, who taught physics at Tehran University, was assassinated when an explosive device denoted in front of his home as he left for work Tuesday.

Iranian media said shortly after the blast that a monarchist group, the Royal Association of Iran, claimed responsibility for the attack. Later Tehran went on to blame the CIA and the Israeli Mossad for the attack, claiming Mohammadi was a prominent nuclear scientist.

"We had received information a few days before the incident that intelligence services of the Zionist regime intend to carry out terrorist acts in Tehran in cooperation with the CIA," said Iranian parliamentary speaker Ali Larijani last week.

The Times of London reported that a "German-based opposition group" said a Hezbollah assassin was photographed at the scene of the explosion that killed Mohammadi.

The group, which the Times did not name, said members of Iran's elite Revolutionary Guard Corp employ Hezbollah security forces to take on some of their dirty work inside Iran. The group claims Hezbollah assassinated Mohammadi because of his ties to the Iranian opposition movement.

Iran maintains strong ties with Hezbollah. Hassan Nasrallah, the secretary-general of the Shiite movement, was rumored to have scheduled a trip to Tehran in December.