US attacks Iran in reality game

TEHRAN: Rugged veteran Iranian special forces hero "Commander Bahman" will soon be tackling one of his toughest missions, rescuing one of his country's top atomic scientists captured by US forces in Iraq.

Or he will be doing so soon on computer screens across the Islamic Republic, the Fars news agency reported on Sunday.

The agency said a computer game detailing the fictional Commander Bahman's adventures, designed by schoolchildren belonging to the Union of Islamic Student Societies, would be available before March 2007.

The Union declined to give any details of the game but said it would hold a news conference as soon as the cyberspace rescue mission is launched.

The Fars news agency said that in the game's narrative Iranian atomic scientist "Doctor Kousha" goes on a pilgrimage to the Shi'ite Muslim holy city of Kerbala in Iraq where he is seized by US troops.

If the game reaches the shops, it will be a sharp riposte to a popular US computer game about a special forces mission to destroy Iran's nuclear facilities.

"US attacks Iran" or "Assault on Iran" was made by Kuma Reality games whose war games often tie into news stories. Those downloadable troops angered many Iranians who signed a petition asking that it be scrapped.

In real life, Iran's nuclear activities are under scrutiny by the UN Security Council for failing to convince the United States and some of Washington's Western allies that its research is not part of a quest to create atomic weapons. Tehran insists its work is peaceful.