Iran facing condemnation after sentencing US ‘spy’ to death

 

Iran faced worldwide censure after a court in Tehran sentenced an American former marine of Iranian descent to death on spying charges.

Amir Mirzai Hekmati was found guilty of “spreading corruption on earth and waging war against God”, a formulation routinely used against those to be considered enemies of the state and which carries a mandatory death sentence.

Hekmati, who is 28, was “sentenced to death for co-operating with a hostile nation, membership of the CIA and trying to implicate in terrorism,” a judge ruled.

The former marine received espionage training at US bases in Afghanistan and Iran, prosecutors said. Hekmati, who worked as a translator for the US army, was shown on state television last month confessing his crimes.

He also admitted to working for a CIA-backed company that produced computer games manipulating users into holding pro-American views.

The death sentence is the latest in a series of challenges Iran has mounted against the United States amid rising tensions over its nuclear programme.

Latest news
Related news