Iran sentences Austrian national to seven-and-a-half years in jail for 'spying'

An Austrian national has been sentenced to seven-and-a-half years in prison by Iranian authorities on charges of spying, according to Austria's foreign ministry. 

Vienna had first announced the man's detention by Iran in October last year, adding that authorities were in touch with his family. 

The foreign ministry was made aware of his sentence on Monday, and has since summoned the Iranian ambassador to express Vienna's "unequivocal protest".

An Austrian has been sentenced to 7.5 years in jail in Iran for spying, Vienna said , adding it had summoned the Iranian ambassador.

The foreign ministry had announced the man's detention in October and said it is in regular contact with his family.https://t.co/fxOhguNIFx

— Golnaz Esfandiari (@GEsfandiari) February 22, 2023

"He was sentenced to 7.5 years in prison for alleged espionage, with two years of probation being waived in the case of good behaviour," said the ministry.

"We will continue to exhaust all possibilities to give him and all other imprisoned Austrian citizens all over the world the best possible consular support."

Austria's ambassador to Iran was reportedly able to meet the detainee in prison. 

Iran currently holds at least 17 detained Western nationals, many of whom are dual Iranian citizens. It has been known to engage in 'hostage diplomacy', where it detains international passport holders in an attempt to gain concessions or ransoms from foreign powers. 

Tehran insists each detainee was given a fair trial, a claim disputed by rights groups and international diplomats. 

Earlier this week, Tehran sentenced Jamshid Sharmahd, a German-Iranian man, to death in connection with the deadly bombing of a mosque in 2008. Berlin reacted strongly to his sentence, calling it "unacceptable".