Alleged Iranian spies in Italian arms trading arrest

Italian detectives have arrested seven people, including two alleged Iranian intelligence officers, on suspicion of plotting to procure arms for Iran. Arrest warrants have also been issued for two more Iranians who were said to be on the run after a round-up of suspects ordered by prosecutors in Milan. Five Italians were also arrested. According to Reuters' Italian newswire, which quoted sources close to the investigation, one of those taken into custody was a lawyer in Turin who also ran an arms trading business. All those arrested were accused of conspiring to illegally export weapons. Iran is the subject of an international arms embargo. Italy's prime minister, Silvio Berlusconi, has repeatedly called for tougher commercial sanctions to be imposed on Tehran as a way of bringing pressure on it to curb its nuclear programme. It was not immediately clear what sort of weapons were alleged to have been sought by the suspects arrested this morning.