Two of the three young Americans arrested in July 2009 go on trial for espionage and illegal entry in Iran. The third one left Iran after US$ 500,000 bail was posted. After the two pleaded not guilty, the trial was adjourned until further notice.

Tehran (AsiaNews/Agencies) – The closed-door trial of two Americans up on espionage charges opened Sunday morning. Shane Bauer and Josh Fattal were arrested on 31 July 2009 near Iran's border with Iraq, along with a third American, Sarah Shourd, who returned home after she was released in September on US$ 500,000 bail. Both Bauer and Fattal pleaded not guilty.

The trio, in their late 20s and early 30s (pictured), say they were hiking in the mountains of northern Iraq and, if they crossed the unmarked border into Iran, it was by mistake.

Iranian prosecutors claim the three Americans are spies, and that they entered the country illegally. Under Iranian law, espionage can carry the death penalty.

The trail is being held in-camera, but Iran’s English-language broadcaster, Press TV, showed the two accused, visibly shaken, talking about their trips to the Middle East.

The case raised tensions between Tehran and Washington. The two countries do not have diplomatic relations since Iranian students stormed the US Embassy to kill those inside after the Iranian Revolution.

The trial has been adjourned until further notice. The Tehran prosecutor's office claims that “it has ‘compelling evidence' that the three were cooperating with US intelligence agencies”.

The defence lawyer, who was barred from seeing his clients for four months before the day of their trial, said he was confident the spying charge would be shown to be baseless and even charges of illegal entry into Iran could be beaten.

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