Iran sentences man to death for spying for Israel

TEHRAN- An Iranian court yesterday sentenced to death an Iranian businessman on charges of spying for Israel after a two-day trial, media said.

The Tehran court handed down its sentence at a time of high tension between Israel and the Islamic Republic amid speculation of a possible Israeli attack on Iran’s nuclear installations. Iranian media identified Ali Ashtari as the manager of a company selling communications and security equipment to Iran’s government.He was accused of “engaging in espionage for Israel’s Mossad intelligence service,” the ISNA news agency said.He had confessed and asked for clemency.”I apologise to the Iranian people and to any organisation, which has been damaged because of my acts and I request Islamic clemency,” the semi-official Fars News Agency quoted 43-year-old Ashtari as telling the court in Tehran.He was detained a year and a half ago.The media reports did not say whether he would appeal against the sentence.Israeli government officials declined to comment on the issue on Monday.Iran, which does not recognise Israel, has previously reported breaking up spy networks and accused the United States and “Zionists” of trying to destabilise the country.Fars quoted Ashtari as telling the court that three Israeli agents had presented themselves to him as foreign bank representatives looking for a commercial partnership.Meetings with the agents, two of whom were called Jack and Tony, took place in Thailand and Turkey and they provided him with a laptop computer for coded communication as well as satellite phones, the news agency said.Fars said Ashtari’s company had branches in Tehran, Dubai and in a third country it did not name.Nampa-ReutersIranian media identified Ali Ashtari as the manager of a company selling communications and security equipment to Iran’s government.He was accused of “engaging in espionage for Israel’s Mossad intelligence service,” the ISNA news agency said.He had confessed and asked for clemency.”I apologise to the Iranian people and to any organisation, which has been damaged because of my acts and I request Islamic clemency,” the semi-official Fars News Agency quoted 43-year-old Ashtari as telling the court in Tehran.He was detained a year and a half ago.The media reports did not say whether he would appeal against the sentence.Israeli government officials declined to comment on the issue on Monday.Iran, which does not recognise Israel, has previously reported breaking up spy networks and accused the United States and “Zionists” of trying to destabilise the country.Fars quoted Ashtari as telling the court that three Israeli agents had presented themselves to him as foreign bank representatives looking for a commercial partnership.Meetings with the agents, two of whom were called Jack and Tony, took place in Thailand and Turkey and they provided him with a laptop computer for coded communication as well as satellite phones, the news agency said.Fars said Ashtari’s company had branches in Tehran, Dubai and in a third country it did not name.Nampa-Reuters