An Iranian court has sentenced a British national of Iranian origin to 10 years in prison for espionage, as the two countries' relationship becomes increasingly fractiousç Middle East Eye reports.
Anousheh Ashouri, a woman with British and Iranian dual citizenship, was found guilty of working for Israel’s Mossad spy agency, the judiciary’s spokesperson said.
“British-Iranian Anousheh Ashouri has been sentenced to 10 years jail for spying for Israel’s Mossad,” Gholamhossein Esmaili was quoted as saying on the judiciary's website.
Esmaili added that the convicted dual national was separately given a two-year sentence for allegedly receiving illicit funds worth $36,600 from Israel. Ashouri has been ordered to pay the same amount in fines.
In a separate case, Iranian national Ali Johari has been handed a 10-year prison sentence for various espionage offences including “widespread connections with Mossad”, Esmaili said.
Johari is blamed for having links with operatives in various countries including India, Laos and Sri Lanka, as well as having travelled to “occupied lands”, the judiciary stated.
He also received two years of jail time for accepting illicit funds and has been ordered to pay the same in fines.