Iran detains 17 ‘CIA-trained spies’ as British ship seizure sends tensions rising

Iranian state media IRNA said the 17 — all of whom are Iranian nationals — worked in critical government positions and in the private sector as consultants in the nuclear, economic, military, and cybersecurity sectors.

“The total [number] of the spies identified [was] 17 individuals who worked as part of cells and none of the individuals had connections with the others,” IRNA said, quoting the unnamed head of counter-espionage operations at VAJA.

“Some citizens were approached to spy … in return for a US visa. Others were blackmailed by the CIA in order to keep or extend their American visas.” 

The CIA set up front companies to attract Iranians, the ministry claimed, adding that in some cases CIA agents approached Iranians at scientific conferences in Europe, Africa, and Asia.

The official said those who knowingly spied for the CIA and did not express regret were handed over to the judiciary, while those who did express regret and assisted the intelligence agencies were put through “intelligence management”.

The alleged network was mentioned in June by Ali Shamkhani, the powerful secretary of the Supreme National Security Council (SNSC).

“Some time ago, one of the CIA’s most sophisticated cyber networks, used in cyber espionage and an important part of CIA operational capabilities in the countries targeted by America, was discovered by Iran’s intelligence agencies and dismantled,” Shamkhani said on June 17.

The claim comes at a sensitive time as tensions in the Persian Gulf region reach fever pitch. Iran has locked horns with the United States and now with the United Kingdom and the European powers over the freedom of navigation in the strategic Strait of Hormuz, where almost one fifth of the world seaborne oil is transported.

IRGC special forces boarded a ship on Friday evening, despite repeated warnings by a British warship in the region that their actions broke international law, and forced the ship to sail to Bandar Abbas on the Iranian coast in the Persian Gulf.

The UK and the European powers condemned Iran’s action and called on Tehran to release the ship.

Iran claims the seizure of the ‘Grace 1’ oil tanker in the Strait of Gibraltar by British Royal Marines on July 4 was against international law. On Tuesday, Iran’s supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei threatened to retaliate unless the vessel was released.

Less than four days later, the IRGC seized the British flagged Stena Impero. On Sunday, 160 Iranian parliamentarians signed a letter praising the actions of the IRGC. There are 290 members in the legislature.

Persian Gulf tensions began to rise after the US government cancelled oil waivers to eight main customers of Iranian oil in early May, which prompted Iran to scale back on its commitments to the 2015 nuclear deal.

A series of incidents, including the downing of a US surveillance drone last month and the seizure in Gibraltar, have brought the region closer to open conflict.

The British government will hold another meeting of the Cobra emergency committee on Monday to discuss its response to the Stena Impero seizure, which may include new sanctions against Iran.

This is a developing story…