U.S. calls Iran's accusation of scientist assassination "absurd"

WASHINGTON, Jan. 12 (Xinhua) -- The White House dismissed Tuesday Iran's accusation that the United States participated in the assassination of an Iranian scientist.

Bill Burton, White House deputy press secretary, called the accusation "absurd," but wouldn't comment further, saying he doesn't want to "prejudge any information about what actually happened."

Iranian media said Dr. Massoud Ali-Mohammadi, a professor at Tehran University, was killed Tuesday morning by a remote control bomb attached to a motorbike near his home in Qeytariyeh neighborhood, northern Tehran. Press reports indicated he was a nuclear scientist.

Iranian TV quoted Foreign Ministry official as saying there were traces of U.S. and Israeli involvement in the bombing attack.

Iran and the West are at loggerheads over Iran's nuclear program. Western countries accuse Iran of seeking to develop nuclear weapons, but Iran denies such accusation, saying its nuclear program is meant for peaceful purposes only.