Iranian man arrested, charged with spying for Israel

(JTA) — Iran arrested a man and charged him with spying for Israel, an Iranian news agency reported.

The man was arrested in southeastern Iran allegedly contacted the Israeli embassy in Bangkok, Thailand, in order to pass information, the semi-official Mehr news agency reported Monday. He reportedly was in Thailand on business.

Mehr, which did not give the man’s name or report when he was arrested, is the only Iranian news outlet reporting the arrest and charges, according to Reuters.

Spying is punishable by death in Iran.

Iran has arrested two dozen people in recent years on charges of spying or acting on behalf of Israel.

The announcement of the arrest comes days after Israel arrested a haredi Orthodox Israeli from the anti-Zionist Neturei Karta sect and charged him with offering to spy for Iran. The man reportedly has confessed to the allegations in the indictment.