On Monday, Iran proclaimed death sentences to several people that according to them were members of a CIA spy ring. Iran claims that these group of people has embedded itself in various sensitive department nationwide. This development had threatened to inflame the precarious situation between America and the Islamic republic even further.
According to a statement by an Iranian official, Tehran’s new conference, the roundup of these alleged spy cell amounted to 17 people and was completed only in March. The official is a director of counterespionage department of Iran’s intelligence ministry.
“The identified spies were employed insensitive and vital private sector centers in the economic, nuclear, infrastructural, military and cyber areas…where they collected classified information,” states a ministry statement read on Television.
Mike Pompeo, Secretary of State didn’t comment directly on this mass-killing of spies, but sad that Iran has a long history of lying and advised caution.
“It’s part of their nature to lie to the world,” Pompeo said on “Fox & Friends” on Monday morning. “I would take with a significant grain of salt any Iranian assertion about actions they’ve taken.”
Some images of the alleged spies were shown on state TV according to reports. It also broadcasted a documentary professing a CIA officer hiring an Iranian in the United Arab Emirates.
Also, in June, Tehran announced a takedown of a spy ring, but it is not sure if those alleged CIA spies are the same as those he talked about on Monday.
Fars, a semi-official news agency of Iran reported first on the matter, acc. to Reuters. The alleged spies identity were not released immediately.
The United States of America has increased the presence of its military troops in the Persian Gulf region. It did this after they alleged offensive moves by Tehran. These alleged moves included attacks on oil tankers in the Strait of Hormuz and drowning of their drone and confiscation of a British tanker.
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