By Marcus George DUBAI (Reuters) - An unidentified attacker shot dead an Iranian deputy minister of industry in Tehran on Sunday, the state news agency IRNA reported, in what appeared the first reported killing of a senior central government official in years. Safdar Rahmat Abadi was shot in the head and chest as he got into his car in the east of the capital, IRNA said, quoting witnesses as saying the attack occurred at about 7:50 p.m. (1620 GMT). There has been a surge of attacks against Iranian military and provincial officials in recent weeks, but Abadi's killing appeared to be the first reported fatal shooting of a senior central government official in years. In Washington, a State Department spokesman said of Abadi's killing: "We've seen the media reports and have no further information or comment at this time." There was no immediate indication that the killing had anything to do with Iran's nuclear dispute with the West.