Iran sentences 13 for spying for Israel

Xinhua - An Iranian court has sentenced 13 people found guilty of involvement in espionage activities for the Israeli intelligence agency, Mossad, the local satellite Press TV reported on Sunday.

Branch 15 of Tehran's Revolution Court made the decision on Sunday, stating that the convicts had been lured into spying for the Mossad by overseas-based satellite television networks and clever advertisement campaigns, the report said without details on the verdicts.

The convicts have 20 days to appeal against the verdicts, the semi-official Mehr news agency said, adding that the details of the verdicts will be announced after confirmation by the appeals court.

On April 17, Iranian Intelligence Ministry announced that it had arrested 15 Israel-linked "spies" and "terrorists."

The ministry said in a statement that in the operations by Iranian intelligence forces, 15 people, both Iranians and foreigners who were linked to an Israeli spy cell, had been detained.

Iran has accused Israel of carrying out intelligence work inside the Islamic republic and even of being involved in killings of Iranian nuclear scientists.

Israel and the West suspect Iran's nuclear program and accuse Iran of conducting weapon-grade activities under the guise of civilian nuclear program. Iran denies the charges, saying that its nuclear activities are for "peaceful" ends.