TEHRAN (AFP) – An Iranian nuclear scientist was killed and another injured when they and their wives were attacked by “terrorists” on Monday, state television and other media reported.

“In a criminal terrorist act, the agents of the Zionist regime attacked two prominent university professors who were on their way to work,” the website of Iran’s state television network reported, referring to Israel.

“Dr. Majid Shahriari was killed and his wife was injured. Dr. Fereydoon Abbasi and his wife were injured,” the report said.

Fars news agency said the scientists were targeted in two different locations by men on motorcycles who approached their vehicles and attached bombs to their cars.

According to the official IRNA news agency, Shahriari was a member of the nuclear engineering department of Shahid Beheshti University in northern Tehran.

The hardline news website Mashreghnews said Abbasi held a PhD in nuclear physics and did nuclear research at the defence ministry.