Iran Sentences Eight Alleged US Spies to Jail Terms

A court in Iran has handed down sentences ranging from four to 10 years for eight Iranian environmental activists accused of spying for the United States. All have been jailed since early 2018. A ninth defendant died in custody under murky circumstances shortly after the arrests. The official charge was “collaborating with the hostile government of America.” One of those sentenced to 10 years, Morad Tahbaz, reportedly also holds US and British citizenship. The detainee who died was a dual Iranian-Canadian national. Earlier this month, Iran’s top appeals court upheld the death sentence for another Iranian citizen convicted of spying for the US. Amir Rahimpour’s fate remains unclear although at the time, a judiciary spokesman said he would be executed shortly. Tensions between Iran and the US are at a high point, what with crippling sanctions reimposed on the Islamic Republic after Washington withdrew from a 2015 multilateral deal aimed at preventing Tehran’s suspected drive toward nuclear weapons, and a January drone strike by the US that killed a top Iranian general.