Iran jails 'nuclear spy' for leaking information to US and Europe

An unnamed individual has been jailed in Iran for allegedly leaking information on the country's nuclear development programme to the US and an unidentified European country.

MENA

2 min read

The New Arab

04 February, 2018

Iran's burgeoning nuclear programme has been in the balance since Trump came to power

Iran has sentenced an unnamed individual to six years in prison for allegedly leaking information on its nuclear programme to the United States and a European country, the Iranian judiciary's website reported on Sunday.

State prosecutor Abbas Jafari Dolatabadi told the website Mizan that the person in question had held nine meetings with US and European officials in which he sold information "about sanctions and nuclear matters" for an unspecified amount. Dolatabadi did not name the European country involved.

"This person has been sentenced to six years imprisonment and the return and seizure of funds," Dolatabadi said.

In December, the Iranian judiciary sentenced Iranian-Swedish academic Ahmadreza Djalali to death for allegedly spying on behalf of Mossad by passing on information on the nuclear programme to Israel.

Djalali claimed he was being punished for refusing to spy for Iran while working in Europe.

However, Iranian state TV subsequently aired a video of Djaili's purported "confession" to spying on behalf of European countries.

His death sentence has been widely condemned by rights groups and the international community.

At least four scientists were killed between 2010 and 2012 in what Tehran alleges were Israeli-led "assassinations" aiming to bring down its nuclear programme.

Iran's 2015 nuclear deal is currently hanging in the balance as US President Donald Trump continually demands it be renegotiated and sanctions on Iran reimposed unless new restrictions are placed on its missile programme.