Iran seeks death for American accused of spying

An American man accused by Iran of working for the CIA could face the death penalty, the semiofficial Fars news agency reported Tuesday.      

In a closed court hearing, the prosecution applied for capital punishment, the report said, because the suspect, identified as Amir Mirzaei Hekmati, "admitted that he received training in the United States and planned to imply that Iran was involved in terrorist activities in foreign countries" after returning to the U.S.            

The prosecutor said Hekmati entered Iran's intelligence department three times.        

The report said Hekmati repeated a confession broadcast on state TV Dec. 18.        

Under the Iranian law spying can lead to death penalty only in military cases.       

The Fars report said Hekmati's lawyer, who was identified only by his surname, Samadi, denied the charges. He said Iranian intelligence blocked Hekmati from infiltrating, and under the Iranian law, intention to infiltrate is not a crime.           

The lawyer said Hekmati was deceived by the CIA. No date for the next court hearing was released.       

AP