TEHRAN – The Judiciary announced on Monday that a female Iranian national has been sentenced to 10 years in prison on charges of spying for Britain.

The national, who was in charge of the Iran desk at the British Council, was sentenced to prison after she confessed that she was spying for Britain, Judiciary spokesman Gholam Hossein Esmayeeli told a press conference.

He refused to identify the person, but said she was a student who had been looking for gaining a residence permit and employment opportunity in Britain and was hired by the British Council after a long process.

"She has later received the necessary trainings under the British security service, and after they trusted her, she was in charge of the Iran desk at the British Council and organized different activities," Esmayeeli explained, according to Fars.

He added that the convict had made frequent visits across Iran under an alias name and planned and managed different cultural projects in the country in line with London's objectives.

"The person was under detention for over a year without a public announcement because the case was under probe and in the procedures for a court ruling," Esmayeeli said, explaining that she has been charged with acting against internal security.

Every year, Iran identifies and arrests several spies working for foreign intelligence services.

Former Judiciary spokesman Gholam Hossein Mohseni Eje'i declared in November 2018 that a state employee charged with spying on the Iranian Foreign Ministry was found guilty and sentenced to 10 years of imprisonment.

"The individual, namely Kamal Amirbeig (alias Alibeig) who is a Foreign Ministry staff member, has been given a 10-year jail term and confiscation of over $200,000 of his assets," Eje’i explained.