Iran Arrests Four Over "CIA-Backed Plot"

Iran arrests four over 'CIA-backed plot'

http://www.cnn.com/2009/WORLD/meast/...=ib_topstories

1/13/2009

TEHRAN, Iran (CNN) -- Iranian authorities said Tuesday they arrested four citizens who were paid by the U.S. government to bring about a regime change.

Alireza Jamshidi, a spokesman for Iran's judiciary, told reporters that the four were trying to recruit others in their plot, but he did not disclose any additional details of what the suspects were conspiring to do.

"The group was trying to recruit more people by setting up a network and training new agents," the semi-official Iranian Labor News Agency quoted Jamshidi as saying.

"The network was funded and guided by the Bush administration, the State Department and the CIA, with the objective of bringing about a regime change in Iran," Jamshidi said, according to another semi-official news agency, Mehr.

It was not clear if the arrests were connected to several detentions throughout Iran in recent weeks. All those arrested are accused of similar crimes.