US man sentenced to death in Iran

Iran's Revolutionary Court sentenced an Iranian-US man to death for spying for the CIA, the semi-official Fars news agency reported…

Iran's Revolutionary Court sentenced an Iranian-US man to death for spying for the CIA, the semi-official Fars news agency reported today.

"Amir Mirza Hekmati was sentenced to death ... for cooperating with the hostile country (the United States) and spying for the CIA," Fars said, without giving a source.

"The court found him Corrupt on Earth and Mohareb (waging war on God)."

The White House said this afternoon it was aware of reports that an Iranian court has sentenced Hekmati to death and was working to verify them.

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"If true, we strongly condemn such a verdict and will work with our partners to convey our condemnation to the Iranian government," White House spokesman Tommy Vietor said in a statement.

Hekmati, a 28-year-old of Iranian descent, was arrested in December and Iran's Intelligence Ministry accused him of receiving training at US bases in neighbouring Afghanistan and Iraq.

Iran's judiciary said Mr Hekmati admitted to having links with the CIA but said he had no intention of harming Iran.

Reuters