Tehran’s Revolutionary Court said that the 15 individuals – some reports said 13 – were lured into spying for Israel through clever advertising campaigns aired on overseas-based satellite television channels. The prosecutors alleged that the people accused had accepted large sums of money for their work.
The authorities have not clarified whether any of the accused are Jewish or what nationalities the foreigners hold. The Intelligence Ministry said one of the accused was planning to assassinate an Iranian nuclear scientist whom officials did not name.
The Intelligence Ministry also said that the group was planning a terrorist act on February 10, during the annual celebrations for the anniversary of the revolution. The ministry did not specify the nature of that intended act.
Prosecutor-General Abbas Jafari-Dolatabadi offered more details about their group’s activities just after the court issued its verdict:
“The accused used to meet with elements of Palestine’s occupying regime in certain countries that are dominated by this regime and the USA. They carried out espionage activities for money, various facilities and fake promises made to them,” IRNA quoted Jafari-Dolatabadi as saying.
“Most of them have been sentenced to prison and some of them have to hand over the possessions they received for espionage purposes,” he said.
Officials have not named any of those convicted, although Iranian law allows identifications to be given after conviction. That spurred speculation that this was just a story intended to convince Iranians that the Intelligence Ministry is on its toes.
Iran has periodically charged Iranians with spying for Israel. Most recently, the Intelligence Ministry said it had uncovered an Israeli spy base in Azerbaijan, which Baku has denied.