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Iran Stokes Mideast Tensions, Announces Death Sentences for Alleged US Spies

Jeff Seldin

   Ken Bredemeier contributed to this report.
   WASHINGTON -- Iran appears to be further stoking tensions with the
   West, announcing Monday it has captured 17 U.S. spies and sentenced
   some of them to death, an allegation the U.S. president denied.

   The announcement from Iran's ministry of intelligence claimed the spies
   had been captured during the past year and had been collecting
   information from "sensitive sites," like military and nuclear
   facilities, for the U.S. Central Intelligence Agency.

   An Iranian counterintelligence official further said that despite
   having received sophisticated training from the United States, none of
   the alleged spies had been successful in efforts to sabotage the
   Iranian facilities. Television reports also showed photographs of
   alleged CIA officers who had been in touch with the spies.

   U.S. President Donald Trump tweeted Monday, "The Report of Iran
   capturing CIA spies is totally false. Zero truth. Just more lies and
   propaganda (like their shot down drone) put out by a Religious Regime
   that is Badly Failing and has no idea what to do."

     The Report of Iran capturing CIA spies is totally false. Zero truth.
     Just more lies and propaganda (like their shot down drone) put out
     by a Religious Regime that is Badly Failing and has no idea what to
     do. Their Economy is dead, and will get much worse. Iran is a total
     mess!
     -- Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) [1]July 22, 2019

   Secretary of State Mike Pompeo also downplayed the Iranian claims.

   "The Iranian regime has a long history of lying," Pompeo told Fox News
   early Monday.

   "It's part of the nature of the Ayatollah to lie to the world,'' he
   added. "I would take with a significant grain of salt any Iranian
   assertion about actions that they've taken.''
   This is not the first time Iranian intelligence officials have made
   such claims about the capture of American spies.

   Back in April, Iran's Mehr news agency quoted the intelligence minister
   as saying Tehran had uncovered a U.S. spy network which included
   hundreds of agents across several countries.

   A U.S. official, speaking to VOA on condition of anonymity, disputed a
   similar set of Iranian claims in June.
   These latest Iranian claims, though, come as tensions between Iran and
   the West have been rising steadily over a series of incidents in the
   Strait of Hormuz, culminating with Iran's seizure of a British-flagged
   oil tanker on Friday.

References

   1. https://twitter.com/realDonaldTrump/status/1153290669424807936?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw

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