Espionage trial of three Americans begins in Iran

AN IRANIAN court held closed-door proceedings yesterday in the espionage trial of three Americans — two in custody and one freed on bail — whose 18-month detention has been the subject of impassioned family appeals and backdoor outreach by Washington through an Arab ally in the Gulf.

The case also highlights the power of Iran’s judiciary, controlled directly by the nation’s ruling clerics. It has rejected apparent appeals by President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad to show some leniency.

But Ahmadinejad has also tried to draw attention to Iranians in US jails, indicating the detainees may be viewed as potential bargaining chips with Washington at a time of high- stakes showdowns over Iran’s nuclear programme.