TEHRAN – In an exclusive interview with Tehran Times, Vineet Tiwari, an Indian writer and civil society activist, offers a critical assessment of revelations contained in a recent Washington Post’s investigation produced in partnership with PBS Frontline, which details Israel’s covert campaign, known as “Operation Narnia,” targeting Iran’s nuclear scientists.

Tiwari, who currently serves as the National Secretary of the Progressive Writers’ Association (PWA), says “Israel is criminal” in assassinating scientists with the complicity of the United States.

In the interview, Tiwari examines the legality and ethics of targeted assassinations, violations of state sovereignty, and the role of Western media in shaping narratives around conflict and accountability.
The following is the text of the interview:

The Washington Post–PBS Frontline report describes “Operation Narnia” as an unprecedented, multi-pronged strike targeting Iran’s nuclear scientists. How do such assassinations go against international law?

If the report is correct, then these assassinations are criminal. I am not aware of the international law, but it is criminal by all means. Even if Iranian scientists were trying to make a nuclear bomb, who has given the authority to countries that already possess nuclear weapons? Who made them the policemen of the world? Killing scientists is like killing the best brains. These minds are not worth dying simply because they are producing knowledge that the US and Israel cannot use or that may challenge their injustices. Moreover, civilians and children were also killed alongside the scientists, which they dismiss as “minimum collateral damage.”

According to the Washington Post investigation, the use of sleeper agents and so-called “special weapons” on Iranian soil played a central role in the operation. How likely are such covert actions to provoke wider regional conflict or long-term destabilization?

The use of sleeper agents and “special weapons” on Iranian soil is completely illegal. Disrespecting the sovereignty of a country is a crime. Israel is criminal in this case, and the US is complicit.

Based on the findings outlined in the report, do you believe the killing of key scientists has meaningfully delayed Iran’s nuclear capabilities?

If Iran could develop nuclear capabilities even while under intense vigilance—especially after the US-Iraq war—then it must have anticipated such attacks. It would certainly have taken measures to preserve the knowledge its scientists acquired. I believe Iran can recover from this loss.

The report suggests there was a “diplomatic ruse” aimed at misleading Iranian leadership prior to the strikes. How do such tactics affect diplomatic trust in prolonged conflicts like the one between Iran and Israel?

Believing the US or Israel is considered a fatal mistake by most of the world. No country or ordinary people trust what US or Israeli leaders say. There cannot be any trustworthy dialogue with them in the near future. Trust must be earned, and Israel has done nothing to earn it. Diplomacy will only work in Palestine when concrete actions are taken. Otherwise, there will be negotiations, but no real trust. Israel has a long history of such covert operations—from 1967 to 2024, including operations that killed civilians in Lebanon.

The report raises profound ethical concerns about targeting scientific personnel. Does this set a dangerous precedent for normalizing attacks on civilian professionals?

No innocent person should be killed, but when do warmongers care about that? Israel is killing doctors, patients, and starving civilians in Gaza with drones and missiles. Nothing human or ethical can be expected from Israel.

What role do media narratives—particularly those shaped by major outlets such as the Washington Post in partnership with PBS Frontline—play in legitimizing or challenging such covert military campaigns?

Media plays a crucial role in shaping narratives. The same operation can be portrayed either as an unjust and criminal act or as an example of Mossad’s efficiency. All available platforms should be used to expose Israeli atrocities and the US cover provided to them.