Iran Claims It Uncovered U.S. Cyberespionage Network

Iran claims it has exposed a U.S. cyberespionage network run by the CIA and that several spies have been arrested in several countries as a result.

A senior Iranian security official made the allegation on June 17 amid heightened tensions between Iran and Washington.

In recent weeks, the United States and its allies have accused Iran of involvement in attacks on oil tankers near the Persian Gulf -- an accusation rejected by Tehran.

'One of the most complicated CIA cyberespionage networks that had an important role in the CIA's operations in different countries was exposed by the Iranian intelligence agencies a while ago and was dismantled,' the secretary of Iran's Supreme National Security Council, Ali Shamkhani, said on June 17, according to the state broadcaster IRIB.

'We shared the information about the exposed network with our allies that led to the identification and arrest of CIA intelligence agents,' Shamkhani added.

He did not specify how many CIA agents were arrested or in which countries they were detained.

Based on reporting by Reuters and TASS

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