Belgian-Iranian man gets 7-year sentence in Israel over spying April 21, 2015 - 20:08 AMT PanARMENIAN.Net - A Belgian-Iranian man was sentenced to seven years in jail in Israel on Tuesday, April 21, after being convicted of spying for Iran that included photographing the U.S. Embassy in Tel Aviv from his nearby hotel balcony, Reuters reported. A court in the central Israeli city of Lod said the information Ali Mansouri, 56, provided Tehran was of "limited value". He was arrested in Tel Aviv in 2013 and signed a plea bargain agreement last November. According to court papers, Mansouri visited Israel three times to set up a business selling folding windows and pneumatic tools, an enterprise prosecutors said was intended to mask his intelligence gathering for Iran. He was found to have photographed the U.S. Embassy along the Tel Aviv beachfront, Israel's main international airport and a military installation that was not identified. Tehran has accused Israel's Mossad spy agency of mounting operations in Iran that have included assassinations of nuclear scientists as part of a campaign to hamper an atomic program Israel and the West fear is aimed at producing weapons. Iran, which reached a framework deal with world powers on April 2 on curbing its nuclear activities, says its nuclear program is for peaceful purposes only.  Top stories Authorities said a total of 192 Azerbaijani troops were killed and 511 were wounded during Azerbaijan’s offensive. In 2023, the Azerbaijani government will increase the country’s defense budget by more than 1.1 billion manats ($650 million). The bill, published on Monday, is designed to "eliminate the shortcomings of an unreasonably broad interpretation of the key concept of "compatriot". The earthquake caused a temporary blackout, damaged many buildings and closed a number of rural roads.   Partner news |  Latest news Czech-Armenian military cooperation discussed in Yerevan  A delegation led by the Director General for the Industrial Cooperation Division of the Ministry of Defence of the Czech Republic visited Armenia.U.S. welcomes efforts to define Armenia-Azerbaijan border The United States welcomes efforts to define the border between Armenia and Azerbaijan, says Vedant Patel.Biden honors resilience of Armenian people on April 24 U.S. President Joe Biden has issued a statement on the 109th anniversary of the Armenian Genocide.Ex-Karabakh leader moved to solitary confinement cell in Baku, his son says David Vardanyan is the son of former Karabakh leader Ruben Vardanyan who who is currently imprisoned in Azerbaijan. |
