The stand-off between Iran and the US government has gotten
yet another twist, as the Middle East nation has announced that it broke a CIA
spying ring and arrested 17 suspects.
An intelligence official claimed that none of the 17
suspects who allegedly had "sophisticated training", had succeeded in
their sabotage missions.
A statement read on state television said: “The identified
spies were employed in sensitive and vital private sector centres in the
economic, nuclear, infrastructural, military and cyber areas... where they
collected classified information.”
Also commenting on the arrest of the CIA agents, the head of
counter-intelligence at the Iranian intelligence ministry told reporters at
Tehran that some of the CIA spies have been sentenced to death.
“We successfully dismantled a (CIA) spy network. Those who deliberately betrayed the country
were handed to the judiciary… some were sentenced to death and some to
long-term imprisonment" he said.
The White House is yet to react to the claims made by Iran.
This is however coming on the heels of deteriorating relationships between Iran
and western nations, including the US and UK.
