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| US-Iranians jailed by Iran for 10 years | US-Iranians jailed by Iran for 10 years |
| (about 1 hour later) | |
| Two dual US-Iranian citizens have both been sentenced to 10 years in jail in Iran for collaborating with the US government, the state-run Mizan judicial news agency has reported. | Two dual US-Iranian citizens have both been sentenced to 10 years in jail in Iran for collaborating with the US government, the state-run Mizan judicial news agency has reported. |
| Siamak Namazi, a businessman, was detained by Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard last October. | Siamak Namazi, a businessman, was detained by Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard last October. |
| His father Baquer, 80, was detained in February while seeking his release. | His father Baquer, 80, was detained in February while seeking his release. |
| There are no precise details of the charges for which they were convicted. | There are no precise details of the charges for which they were convicted. |
| However the New York Times reported on Monday that a video posted online by Mizan "hinted" that Siamak Namazi was accused of espionage. | However the New York Times reported on Monday that a video posted online by Mizan "hinted" that Siamak Namazi was accused of espionage. |
| "Siamak Namazi and Mohammad Baquer Namazi have each been sentenced to 10 years prison... for co-operating with the hostile government of America," the Mizan website said, quoting "an informed source". | |
| The US state department has so far not commented on the sentences. | |
| The family of the two men have protested their innocence and expressed concern that Baquer Namazi has a heart condition which requires special medical attention. | |
| Siamak Namazi was most recently working for Crescent Petroleum in the United Arab Emirates, and previously headed a consulting business in Iran. | Siamak Namazi was most recently working for Crescent Petroleum in the United Arab Emirates, and previously headed a consulting business in Iran. |
| His father was a former Iranian provincial governor and Unicef official. More recently he ran Hamyaran, an umbrella agency for Iranian non-governmental organisations. | His father was a former Iranian provincial governor and Unicef official. More recently he ran Hamyaran, an umbrella agency for Iranian non-governmental organisations. |
| Sources say that a US-Lebanese national, Nazar Zaka, who was reported to have been arrested in November 2015 for suspected espionage, was also jailed for 10 years on Tuesday. | |
| In January Iran released Washington Post journalist Jason Rezaian who spent nearly two years in prison on espionage charges. He was freed at the same time as a nuclear accord with world powers came into force, lifting sanctions against Iran. | |
| Rezaian is now is suing Iran's government for "irreparable harm" he allegedly suffered while in prison because of "torture and other cruel treatment". |