Iran charges three young American hikers with spying

IRAN charged three American adventure tourists with spying yesterday after they were caught straying across the border from Iraq.

The move was the first signal that Tehran intends to put Shane Bauer, Sarah Shourd and Josh Fattal on trial.

They were held on July 31 during what the US government and their families say was a hiking holiday.

US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton called for the release of the trio.

The announcement came as Washington and Tehran are manoeuvring over a deadlock in negotiations over Iran’s nuclear programme.

“We believe strongly that there is no evidence to support any charge whatsoever,” Mrs Clinton said.

“And we would renew our request on behalf of these three young people and their families that the Iranian government exercise compassion and release them.”

Tehran chief prosecutor Abbas Jafari Dowlatabadi said the trio “have been accused of espionage” and that investigations were continuing.

It is not clear from his comments whether formal charges had been made, but such announcements are often a sign that charges are imminent if not already filed. In Iran’s opaque judicial system, the process of indictment and trial often takes place behind closed doors.

The timing of the announcement raised the possibility that Iran was using the case to pressure the United States amid the negotiations over its nuclear programme.

Iran is also holding another American, academic Kian Tajbakhsh, who was jailed last month for 12 years for an alleged role in opposition protests.