TEHRAN- A Dutch engineer behind Natanz nuclear sabotage reportedly died in a mysterious accident, according to a report by Dutch newspaper de Volkskrant. 

Erik van Saben played a crucial role in the Stuxnet cyber-attack that damaged Iran's Natanz nuclear facility. 
    
The engineer was responsible for infiltrating the Stuxnet malware into the Natanz facility. The malware, which was created in collaboration between the United States and Israel, targeted Iran's nuclear program.  
       
A U.S. intelligence contractor, Edward Snowden, has previously claimed that the Stuxnet operation was codenamed "Operation Olympic Games."

The de Volkskrant report also revealed that van Saben was working with Dutch intelligence agencies at the time of the attack. In 2006, the CIA director reportedly announced a secret cooperation agreement with the Dutch Military Intelligence and Security Service (MIVD).

Stuxnet caused widespread damage to Iran's nuclear program, but it also had a significant impact on other countries, including India, Indonesia, and Pakistan.

Despite his involvement in the Stuxnet attack, van Saben died in a motorcycle accident near Sharjah, UAE, on January 16, 2009. The Dutch intelligence agency has stated that it does not consider the accident to be suspicious, but van Saben's family believes otherwise.

The revelation of van Saben's identity and the circumstances surrounding his death have sparked renewed scrutiny of the Stuxnet attack and its broader implications.