Iran court jails woman for decade for spying for UK

By Mustafa Kamel

TEHRAN (AA) – An Iranian court on Monday sentenced a woman to 10 years in prison after convicting her of spying for the U.K., according to Iran’s ISNA news agency.

Judicial spokesman Iran Gholam Hossein Ismaili told ISNA that the woman, an Iranian citizen employed by the British Council, had cooperated with British intelligence as part of the latter’s attempts to “culturally infiltrate” Iran.

According to Hossein, the woman -- who has not been identified -- confessed under interrogation to having been recruited by British intelligence.

In a Monday statement, the U.K. Foreign and Commonwealth Office said that British embassy officials in Tehran were “in touch with the Iranian government to seek further information”.

A government-linked charity organization, the British Council promotes arts, culture and the English language through educational activities in over 100 countries.