Posted on 01/09/2012 10:47:41 AM PST by Hunton Peck
An Iranian court has convicted an American man of working for the CIA and sentenced him to death, state radio reported Monday, in a case adding to the accelerating tension between the United States and Iran.
Iran charges that as a former U.S. Marine, Amir Mirzaei Hekmati, received special training and served at U.S. military bases in Iraq and Afghanistan before heading to Iran for his alleged intelligence mission. The radio report did not say when the verdict was issued.
The 28-year-old former military translator was born in Arizona and graduated from high school in Michigan. His family is of Iranian origin. His father, a professor at a community college in Flint, Michigan, has said his son is not a CIA spy and was visiting his grandmothers in Iran when he was arrested.
Behnaz Hekmati, his mother, said in an email to The Associated Press that she and her husband, Ali, are "shocked and terrified" that their son has been sentenced to death. She said the verdict is "the result of a process that was neither transparent nor fair."
Under Iranian law, he has 20 days to appeal. Hekmati has a court-appointed lawyer who was identified only by his surname, Samadi, and there was no word about an appeal.
Gholam Hossein Mohseni Ejehei, spokesman for Iran's judiciary said if the verdict is appealed, it would go to Iran's Supreme Court, the official IRNA news agency reported.
Hekmati's trial took place as the U.S. announced new, tougher sanctions against Iran over its nuclear program, which Washington believes Tehran is using to develop a possible atomic weapons capability.
Iran, which says it only seeks nuclear reactors for energy and research, has sharply increased its threats and military posturing against stronger pressures, including the U.S. sanctions targeting Iran's Central Bank in attempts to...
(Excerpt) Read more at hosted.ap.org ...
Iran, which says it only seeks nuclear reactors for energy and research, has sharply increased its threats and military posturing against stronger pressures...
This should tell us they are closer than ever to
having a weapon.
I believe there’s a very good chance that on the afternoon of 1/20/13 Barry’s replacement will be making some decisions that will be... changing this relationship with Iran quite a bit. Until then, I pray for the safety of this American and for our country.
This news story isn't really happening /sarc
Please freepmail me if you wish to be added or dropped from the mitten ping.
Did he really?!?
I pray for this Marines safety and hope for the best.
But I have to be objective. This is obviously a sharp individual very familiar with international tension and the relationship between US and Iran. What was he doing there again?
What passport did he use to get into the country? Iran allowed a US Marine to visit?
He may be one of those unmentioned heroes that we never want to hear anything about operating in a world that doesn’t exist.
I certainly do hope we have covert assets working for us in Iran. But I don’t want to know about it or hear about it for another 30 to 50 years.
I hope we get this guy back but anyone with any level of connection to our government or military that goes to Iran is making a serious blunder. They are just itching for any reason to kill an American “spy” to look like a victim of America.
I wouldn’t be surprised if he was there on a covert mission. But whether he was or not, the penalty of execution is not acceptable and clearly the Iranians are doing this in a desperate attempt to do anything they can to get back at the US.
Iranian sailors rescued recenty by an American warship have suddenly gone missing.
Look at the “hikers” that were detained as they were too close to the border. Look at the UK military inflatable boat that was captured by Iranian Republican Guards a few years ago which had GPS readings that showed it was in international waters. The Iranian government likes to take hostages and use them to make points with other countries.
It is time that other countries started to “play the game.” Iranian businessmen or Iranian military operating near or outside of the borders of Iran should be captured and shipped off to secure facilities around the world, if they are “deemed” to violate the rules/regulations/laws of other countries.
Iran needs to be banned from interacting with the civilized world until it changes how it acts. I realize that some view diplomacy and reasoning with despots and bringing them into a dialog with the world community. Iran's leaders have over and over again, been responsible for state sponsored terrorism beyond their borders and have no respect for world order or human rights.
I sincerely hope that a violent regime change happens in Iran, by the people of that country killing its leadership.
Send in Wesley Clark ... They like the *(unmentionable term).
Okay, Barack - what are you going to do about it?
Iran thinks it can keep on poking a hornets nest and never be stung. They are worse than stupid.
U.S. Marine. Taking a vacation to visit his grannies in Iran.
What could go wrong?
They are indeed savages guided by an immoral prophet and 'holy' writings that encourage behavior toward 'infidels' such as hostage-taking, rape, kidnapping for ransom, and looting, but maybe 'stupid' is too strong a word to use here.
Clearly they have taken the measure of the man in the White House, concluded that he is a fool and a weak and incompetent leader, and are acting accordingly.
Gosh. I wonder if he’s a Muslim! ; )
The article says that his family is of Iranian descent. He grew up in Michigan. He was in Iran to visit his grandmothers.
Those crazy Iranians.
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