IRAN’S election oversight body last night declared the hotly-disputed presidential vote valid after a partial recount, rejecting opposition allegations of fraud and further silencing calls for a new vote.

Iran’s judiciary has confirmed an appeals court will hear the case of an American journalist convicted of spying next week.

US academic Haleh Esfandiari and two other Iranian-Americans have been “formally charged” with endangering national security and espionage, Iran’s judiciary spokesman said today.

Iran says it has uncovered spy rings organised by the United States and its Western allies, claiming on state-run television that the espionage networks were made up of “infiltrating elements from the Iraqi occupiers”.

As Iran’s judiciary acknowledged that the country’s intelligence is investigating an American-Iranian academic for security crimes, US Secretary of State blasted the detention and called on Tehran today to immediately release Haleh Esfandiari.

Iran today said it had arrested a man on suspicion of selling Iran’s nuclear secrets to an exiled Iranian opposition group, state radio reported.

An Iranian intelligence agent has been charged with the murder of a journalist who had duel Canadian-Iranian nationality.

Clashes erupted for a second straight night in Tehran, with anti-riot police and hard-line vigilantes beating up teenage demonstrators who had taken to the streets to denounce supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei.

Afghan soldiers have discovered a video tape related to Osama bin Laden in a village south of Kabul, officials said today.