Iran MP: CIA Spy Ring Broken, 12 Arrested

Spy Ring Was Following Iran's Deployment of Missiles Against Possible Attack

Having already lost two distinct spy rings earlier this week in the Pizza Hut fiasco in Beirut, Lebanon, an Iranian MP reports that a third CIA spy ring has been broken inside Iran, with at least 12 arrested.

Reports say that the new spy ring was linked to Iran’s deployment of missiles around the country to prepare for a reaction to an oft-threatened Israeli attack. The spies had been tracking where the missiles were and what defenses they had against attack.

MP Parviz Sorouri, a member of the National Security Committee, said that they were “trying to use regional intelligence services, both inside and outside Iran, in order to deal a strong blow to our country.” The nationality of those arrested has not been made public.

In addition to being the third spy ring lost this week, it is also the second time this year Iran has uncovered a CIA spy network, after arrests in May. With the CIA putting more and more focus on its assassination program, it raises further questions about its ability to effectively operate intelligence gathering services.

Author: Jason Ditz

Jason Ditz is Senior Editor for Antiwar.com. He has 20 years of experience in foreign policy research and his work has appeared in The American Conservative, Responsible Statecraft, Forbes, Toronto Star, Minneapolis Star-Tribune, Providence Journal, Washington Times, and the Detroit Free Press.