Iranian game pits players against U.S.

An Iranian hard-line student group unveiled a new video game Monday that simulates an attempt to rescue two Iranian nuclear experts kidnapped by the U.S. military and held in Iraq and Israel.

The Rescue the Nuke Scientist video game, designed by the Union of Students Islamic Association, was described by its creators as a response to a U.S.-based company's Assault on Iran game, which depicts an American attack on an Iranian nuclear facility.

"This is our defense against the enemy's cultural onslaught," Mohammad Taqi Fakhrian, a leader of the student group, said.

Iran and the U.S. have been in a standoff over Iran's nuclear program and the detention of five Iranians in Iraq.

In Rescue the Nuke Scientist, U.S. troops capture a husband-and-wife team of nuclear engineers during a pilgrimage to Karbala in central Iraq. Players take the role of Iranian security forces carrying out a mission code-named "The Special Operation," which involves penetrating fortified locations to free the nuclear scientists, who are moved from Iraq to Israel.

To complete the game successfully, players must enter Israel to rescue the nuclear scientists, kill U.S. and Israeli troops and seize their laptops containing secret information.

If players fail a mission, a message says: "With resistance, you can battle the enemy." Iran's red, white and green flag flutters in the top right corner throughout the game.

"We tried to promote the idea of defense, sacrifice and martyrdom in this game," Fakhrian said.

Fakhrian said his group was trying to market the video game first in Iran and other Muslim countries. But the group also has plans to bring the game to Western countries, he said.

The game is from the same student group that was behind the infamous "World Without Zionism" conference in 2005 where President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad called for Israel to be "wiped off the map." (1)

Rescue the Nuke Scientist follows the free Assault on Iran online series, which simulates U.S. Special Forces destroying the Natanz uranium enrichment facility in central Iran.
www.star-telegram.com/279/story/171397.html

(1) See: "WIPED OFF THE MAP" - The Rumor of the Century

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Last updated 20/07/2007

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