Siemens denied Sunday that it had sold any nuclear equipment to Iran, after a prominent Iranian lawmaker accused the German firm of selling the country gear that was laced with explosives.
The lawmaker, Aladin Borujerdi, who chairs the parliamentary national security and foreign policy commission, said Siemens had sold Iran equipment for its nuclear programme that contained mini-explosives, Iranian media reported Sunday.
"Intelligence-security apparatus succeeded in discovering explosives in equipment which were provided to us for our nuclear activities," Borujerdi said in an interview with parliament's ICANA news website (www.icana.ir/NewsPage.aspx?NewsID=206727).
"The explosives were to blow up when activated to disrupt the whole system. Domestic experts nullified the plot of the enemy, however," he was quoted as saying by ICANA.
"The company Siemens, which provided this equipment, must answer for its action," he said.
Siemens spokesman Alexander Machowetz categorically denied the charge, telling AFP: "Siemens maintains no business dealings in connection to the Iranian nuclear programme and delivers no equipment to this end."
Iran's Press TV carried the story on its website, but no other state media reported on the claim.
Iran often alleges sabotage attempts by Western or Israeli intelligence services, but provides little in the way of evidence.
The Islamic republic, however, has suffered the assassination of four of its nuclear scientists in the past two years, attacks it has blamed on Israel, the United States and Britain.
It has also been targeted by sophisticated computer viruses, such as Stuxnet and Flame, that have spied on its activities or wiped out data related to its controversial nuclear programme.
Tehran maintains the programme is for peaceful purposes, but Western powers accuse it of seeking to develop nuclear weapons.
