Retired US General Under Investigation for Stuxnet Leak

Reports from NBC news channel on Thursday has indicated that a high ranking military officer in the US has been placed under investigation for allegedly leaking top secret information about a cyber attack on Iran's nuclear programme.

The covert computer virus called Stuxnet, was used in 2010 to temporarily disable 1,000 centrifuges used for enriching uranium by Iran's nuclear facilities.

According to the report from NBC, Stuxnet is capable of both surveillance and harming computers, and was initally spread using infected removable drives.

Retired General James Cartwright, a former second-highest-ranking officer, was  in a New York Times article published last year as one of the men instrumental in the development of Stuxnet.

The article exposed that the Obama administration used it as a key weapon in fighting against the development of Iran's nuclear programme.

"My attitude has been zero tolerance for these kinds of leaks. These are criminal acts when they release information like this", President Barack Obama said, responding to the article.

While there was ongoing speculation about Cartwright's motive behind the leak,

"Sometimes to attack a programme, sometimes to defend it, sometimes we don't ever know", Director of the Federation of American Scientists Steve Aftergood told NBC while trying to explain that there are many reasons why people leak classified information.

Cartwright was the number two person in the joint chiefs of staff from 2007 to 2011. As at the time of this report, neither he nor his lawyer has responded to requests for comment.

Iran: President-Elect Vows Transparency over Nuclear Issues

President-elect Hassan Rouhani has called for more transparency and mutual trust between Iran and the West over its disputed nuclear programme during his first news conference since Friday's election.

Mr Rouhani described international sanctions imposed on his country over the issue as "unfair" even as he told reporters Tehran would not suspend its uranium enrichment activities - a key stumbling block in the continuing talks between Tehran and world powers. .

During the conference on Monday, he said, "Our nuclear programmes are completely transparent. But, we are ready to show greater transparency and make clear for the whole world that the steps of the Islamic Republic of Iran are completely within international frameworks."

He added that his government would work towards "constructive interaction with the world", thanking Iranians for "choosing moderation".

He explained that efforts to end continuing fighting in Syria and restore stability must rest with "the Syrian people" and that the economy would be his main priority.

According to him, relations between Iran and the US were "an old wound that needs to be healed".

Iran has been the target of four rounds of UN sanctions and numerous UN Security Council resolutions calling on it to cease enrichment work.

Over the past few years, the West has suspected Iran of trying to build nuclear weapons. However, Iran has defended its programme, claiming it is entirely peaceful

The new Iranian president, who is seen as moderate compared with the other five contenders, has sparked the interests of Western powers, who have given indications that they are willing to strengthen their poor relations with the Islamic republic.

Russian President Vladimir Putin congratulated Hassan Rouhani on winning the election, adding that he believes Rouhani will work hard in order to strengthen Russian-Iranian relations.