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| Iran says it arrested CIA spies and sentenced some to death | Iran says it arrested CIA spies and sentenced some to death |
| (32 minutes later) | |
| Iran says it has arrested 17 spies who it says were working for the CIA, and sentenced some of them to death. | Iran says it has arrested 17 spies who it says were working for the CIA, and sentenced some of them to death. |
| The intelligence ministry said the suspects had been collecting information in the nuclear, military and other sectors. | The intelligence ministry said the suspects had been collecting information in the nuclear, military and other sectors. |
| US President Donald Trump has dismissed the Iranian allegations, saying they are "totally false". | US President Donald Trump has dismissed the Iranian allegations, saying they are "totally false". |
| Washington and Tehran are at loggerheads over Iran's nuclear programme and tensions have grown. | Washington and Tehran are at loggerheads over Iran's nuclear programme and tensions have grown. |
| Mr Trump last year abandoned the international nuclear deal with the Iranians, and the US has imposed sweeping economic sanctions on them. | Mr Trump last year abandoned the international nuclear deal with the Iranians, and the US has imposed sweeping economic sanctions on them. |
| In recent weeks, the two countries came close to military conflict in the Gulf. | In recent weeks, the two countries came close to military conflict in the Gulf. |
| Speaking shortly after the Iranian announced on the arrests, Mr Trump said: "It's getting harder for me to want to make a deal with Iran." | Speaking shortly after the Iranian announced on the arrests, Mr Trump said: "It's getting harder for me to want to make a deal with Iran." |
| What do we know about the 'spying case'? | What do we know about the 'spying case'? |
| Iran says the spies who are alleged to work for the US Central Intelligence Agency were arrested over a 12-month period up until March this year. | Iran says the spies who are alleged to work for the US Central Intelligence Agency were arrested over a 12-month period up until March this year. |
| The 17 were all Iranians working in "sensitive centres" in military and nuclear facilities and the private sector who had acted independently of each other, a top Iranian intelligence official told reporters. | The 17 were all Iranians working in "sensitive centres" in military and nuclear facilities and the private sector who had acted independently of each other, a top Iranian intelligence official told reporters. |
| He did not say how many had been sentenced to death or when the sentences had been handed down. | He did not say how many had been sentenced to death or when the sentences had been handed down. |
| "Sentences for these spies have been issued, some of whom are to be put to death as 'corruptors on earth' [a charge punishable by death under Islamic rules in Iran]," the head of the intelligence ministry's espionage department was quoted as saying by the Iranian Students News Agency (ISNA). | "Sentences for these spies have been issued, some of whom are to be put to death as 'corruptors on earth' [a charge punishable by death under Islamic rules in Iran]," the head of the intelligence ministry's espionage department was quoted as saying by the Iranian Students News Agency (ISNA). |
| On Sunday, Intelligence Minister Mahmoud Alavi announced a documentary on the arrests of "US-linked spies" would be aired on Iranian TV. | On Sunday, Intelligence Minister Mahmoud Alavi announced a documentary on the arrests of "US-linked spies" would be aired on Iranian TV. |
| The Iranian intelligence ministry also released a CD containing a trailer for the documentary, re-enactments of spy meetings and interviews with officials including Mr Alavi. | The Iranian intelligence ministry also released a CD containing a trailer for the documentary, re-enactments of spy meetings and interviews with officials including Mr Alavi. |
| Some of the spies had fallen into a "visa trap" set up by the CIA for Iranians wanting to travel to the US, Mr Alavi said, adding: "Some were approached when they were applying for a visa, while others had visas from before and were pressured by the CIA in order to renew them." | Some of the spies had fallen into a "visa trap" set up by the CIA for Iranians wanting to travel to the US, Mr Alavi said, adding: "Some were approached when they were applying for a visa, while others had visas from before and were pressured by the CIA in order to renew them." |
| Others had been enticed by offers of money, lucrative jobs and medical services, he said. | Others had been enticed by offers of money, lucrative jobs and medical services, he said. |
| Iran's Press TV channel has aired a documentary about the cracking of a "CIA network". | Iran's Press TV channel has aired a documentary about the cracking of a "CIA network". |
| Last month, Iran said it had dismantled a network linked to the CIA, but it is unclear whether Monday's announcement was related to the same case. | Last month, Iran said it had dismantled a network linked to the CIA, but it is unclear whether Monday's announcement was related to the same case. |
| Iranian power struggle? | Iranian power struggle? |
| Analysis by Kasra Naji, BBC Persian | Analysis by Kasra Naji, BBC Persian |
| Many observers of the Iranian political scene view the latest Iranian claim with deep scepticism. | Many observers of the Iranian political scene view the latest Iranian claim with deep scepticism. |
| On Monday, Iran's intelligence ministry said it had broken up a spy ring connected to the CIA last month. | On Monday, Iran's intelligence ministry said it had broken up a spy ring connected to the CIA last month. |
| But confusingly it added that the 17 alleged spies had already been arrested last year. | |
| Some believe that 17 is the sum total of all those arrested on suspicion of spying over many years. They are all Iranians. | Some believe that 17 is the sum total of all those arrested on suspicion of spying over many years. They are all Iranians. |
| According to one account from Iran's notorious Evin prison, there are many inmates there accused of spying for a range of countries. | According to one account from Iran's notorious Evin prison, there are many inmates there accused of spying for a range of countries. |
| But why the intelligence ministry is coming up with such a story now probably has more to do with its rivalry with the intelligence unit of the Revolutionary Guards than with new arrests. | But why the intelligence ministry is coming up with such a story now probably has more to do with its rivalry with the intelligence unit of the Revolutionary Guards than with new arrests. |
| Just two weeks ago Iranian state TV broadcast the last episode of a docu-drama that glorified the intelligence unit and portrayed the government of President Hassan Rouhani as ineffective and weak in the face of Western espionage. | Just two weeks ago Iranian state TV broadcast the last episode of a docu-drama that glorified the intelligence unit and portrayed the government of President Hassan Rouhani as ineffective and weak in the face of Western espionage. |
| Now, the intelligence ministry is hitting back with its own documentary in which it is claiming its own major successes in tackling espionage. | Now, the intelligence ministry is hitting back with its own documentary in which it is claiming its own major successes in tackling espionage. |
| It seems rival intelligence agencies in Iran are engaged in a very public power struggle for everyone to see on state TV. | It seems rival intelligence agencies in Iran are engaged in a very public power struggle for everyone to see on state TV. |
| What's the background to the current crisis? | What's the background to the current crisis? |
| Tensions between Iran, the US and the UK remain high, after a series of incidents in the world's key shipping area, the Strait of Hormuz: | Tensions between Iran, the US and the UK remain high, after a series of incidents in the world's key shipping area, the Strait of Hormuz: |
| Tensions between the two nations have risen sharply since the US tightened sanctions it reimposed on Iran's oil sector after unilaterally withdrawing from a landmark 2015 nuclear deal. | Tensions between the two nations have risen sharply since the US tightened sanctions it reimposed on Iran's oil sector after unilaterally withdrawing from a landmark 2015 nuclear deal. |