Iran arrests ‘European spy’, Israel expects prolonged war

TEHRAN/JERUSALEM: Authorities in Iran have arrested a European on suspicion of espionage, local media reported on Friday, as war rages between the Islamic Republic and its arch-foe Israel.

“A European citizen who sought to spy on sensitive areas of the country” was arrested in southwestern Iran, Tasnim news agency said, without specifying the nationality of the suspect or the arrest date.

“He had been visiting the country as a tourist at the time of the brutal attack by the Zionist regime,” it added, referring to Israel’s June 13 strikes that triggered the war.

The Mehr news agency carried a similar report, citing a statement from the Revolutionary Guards.

At the same time, Tasnim said the arrest was made by the Guards intelligence branch in Kohgiluyeh and Boyer-Ahmad province.

The arrest comes at a time when talks between Iran’s foreign minister and his British, French, German and EU counterparts on Iranian nuclear programme began in Geneva on Friday.

SEVERAL EXECUTED

Iran regularly announces arrests of suspected spies. Several have been executed in recent weeks.

On Thursday, Iranian police announced the arrest of 24 people accused of spying for Israel and of seeking to tarnish the country’s image.

Currently, several citizens and dual nationals of European countries are detained in Iran.

Some Western governments have accused Tehran of detaining foreigners to use as bargaining counters to secure the release of Iranians held in the West.

PREPARE FOR ‘PROLONGED’ WAR

Also on Friday, AFP reported that Israeli’s military chief Eyal Zamir said that his country should be “ready for a prolonged campaign” against Iran.

“We have embarked on the most complex campaign in our history to remove a threat of such magnitude, against such an enemy. We must be ready for a prolonged campaign,” Zamir said in a video statement to Israelis.

He added that “the campaign is not over. Although we have made significant achievements, difficult days still lie ahead.”

The message came as Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is trying his best to drag the US into a war that would be devastating for the entire region, if expanded. It also shows that Tel Aviv has been unable to damage the Iranian military despite all the tall claims being made.

Read more: Netanyahu’s other battle: Swinging Trump and US behind Iran war