28-year-old American gets death for spying in Iran

Iran has accused Hekmati of training with the US military as a spy. It aired a televised confession,denounced by Washington,in which he said he worked for a New York-based video game firm designing games to manipulate public opinion in the Middle East on behalf of the US.

Hekmati’s family says the 28-year-old was visiting grandparents in Iran when he was held in December. His family says he previously worked as a US military translator.

“Amir Mirza Hekmati was sentenced to death … for cooperating with the hostile country America and spying for the CIA (Central Intelligence Agency),” ISNA news agency quoted judiciary spokesman Gholamhossein Mohseni-Ejei as saying. “The court found him Corrupt on the Earth and Mohareb (one who wages war on God).” Hekmati can appeal to the Supreme Court.

The sentence comes at a time when tension between Iran and the West over Tehran’s nuclear programme has reached a new high. In a separate case,Iran also said Monday it had broken up a US-linked spy network that planned to fuel unrest ahead of March elections. “Detained spies were in contact with foreign countries through cyberspace,” Intelligence Minister Haydar Moslehi was quoted by state television as saying.

Diplomats confirm Iran n-work at bunker
Vienna: Diplomats Monday confirmed a report that Iran has begun uranium enrichment at an underground bunker and said the news is worrying because the site is being used to make material that can be upgraded quickly for use in a nuclear weapon. The diplomats,speaking on condition of anonymity,said that centrifuges at the Fordo site near city of Qom are churning out uranium enriched to 20 per cent. AP