Iran arrests 'several US spies' trying to disrupt elections

Iran's secret services claim to have arrested several people on charges of spying for the US and seeking to disrupt the country's parliamentary elections.

The country's Intelligence Minister Heidar Moslehi said that the suspects were in touch with their CIA contacts through the Internet, Fox News reports.

Moslehi, however, didn't mention how many were arrested or when.

The Iranian government has repeatedly accused the United States of carrying out covert intelligence operations in order to undermine it.

On several occasions Iran has announced the arrest of alleged American spies, but has provided little information to substantiate its claims.

Last month Iran arrested an American man, Amir Mirzaei Hekmati, on charges of spying for the CIA.

According to Iranian media reports, Hekmati, "admitted that he received training in the US and planned to imply that Iran was involved in terrorist activities in foreign countries" after returning to the US.