TEHRAN – Iranian authorities have made more arrests in the case of French spies, the judiciary spokesperson said on Tuesday, saying those newly detained have been accused of “conspiracy and collusion” with the aim of harming national security.
“In this case, other arrests have been made and the chain of information is about to be completed and will be announced as soon as it is finalized,” Massoud Setayeshi said, adding that the investigation was moving swiftly.
He said the case has different dimensions and is under a thorough, fast-paced investigation, adding authorities have obtained “strategic information” about subversive actions against the Islamic Republic.
In a video aired on Iran’s Arabic-language television news network Al-Alam TV earlier this month, the two French spies arrested in Iran some four months ago admitted to their attempts to provoke anti-government protests and riots with the ultimate goal of putting pressure on the country’s Islamic establishment.
Cécile Kohler, 37, and Jacqeus Paris, 69, traveled to Iran on April 28 as tourists. They were later arrested and charged with espionage activities for Western spy agencies.
Iran’s intelligence ministry announced in May that the duo attempted to foment instability and social disorder when some teachers took to the streets in peaceful protests to demand fair wages and better working conditions.
Some photos show that the two were linked with teacher’s unionists including Rasoul Bodaghi.
Iranian Foreign Minister Hussein Amir-Abdollahian said Tuesday several institutions and individuals from the European Union will be included in the Islamic Republic’s blacklist of sanctions, days after some European countries imposed a set of bans on the country under false pretexts.
“In the coming days, the names of several institutions and individuals from the European Union will be added to the sanctions list of the Islamic Republic of Iran,” he said at a meeting of Iran’s High Council for Human Rights.
Earlier, Iran had imposed retaliatory sanctions against a number of British individuals and entities for supporting terrorism, inciting violence, and violating human rights.
The Judiciary on Tuesday began the first court hearings for detained rioters.
Hussein Fazeli, the chief of the justice administration in Alborz province, said some of those detained are the agents of the Islamic Republic’s enemies, adding others either sympathized with the enemies or took part in the protests as an emotional reaction.
MP Mahmoud Nabavian said BBC Persian and Iran International TVs are the commanders of the riots in Iran. He said foreigners incited the “riots” with the aim of making Iran insecure.