Exclusive: Iran's Revolutionary Guards arrest more dual nationalsLONDON (Reuters) - Iran s Revolutionary Guards have arrested at least 30 dual nationals during the past two years, mostly on spying charges, according to lawyers, diplomats and relatives, twice as many as earlier reported by local or international media. The number marks a sharp rise since 2015, when an international nuclear deal raised hopes of detente with the West. In the years before that the number of dual nationals detained at any given time was in single figures. It also points up a new trend as a majority of those arrested since then, 19 out of the 30, have citizenship in Europe. Previously most of the detainees were Iranian Americans. Detainees  relatives and lawyers said the Guards were using them as bargaining chips in international relations and to put off European firms that sought business in Iran after the government agreed the deal with world powers to lift sanctions. The Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps has vast business interests as well as being Iran s most powerful security force and has criticized the government for handing contracts to foreigners. The Guards did not respond to several requests for comment. The Iranian government referred Reuters to the judiciary, which also did not respond to repeated approaches. Iranian authorities have previously denied holding detainees for ransom and accuse Western governments of holding Iranians on trumped-up charges. Relatives of dual nationals detained in Iran, their lawyers and Western diplomats shared information such as name, date of arrest and any charges, on condition neither they nor the detainees were identified, citing fear of repercussions. Iran does not routinely announce arrests or charges and does not recognize dual nationals, whose rights to consular assistance are enshrined in the U.N. Vienna Convention. In all cases, the sources said the detainees had not carried out any espionage and were arrested only because of their second citizenship. They explained their willingness to share details by saying they had been kept in the dark by both the Iranian authorities and Western governments. Several governments argue that maintaining a low profile is in the best interests of the detainees.  This is very much what guides our approach,  a UK government source said. Dutch Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Daphne Kerremans said identifying detainees  could get the prisoners into trouble . Some relatives only break their silence once their initial hopes have been dashed. The wife of Ahmadreza Djalali, a Swedish-based Iranian scientist arrested in 2016 after attending a conference in Tehran, decided to speak out in February.  We were all hopeful that he would be released soon. He was calling us from jail, saying he had not been officially charged. They had told him that he would be released after answering a few questions,  Vida Mehrannia said by telephone from Stockholm.  I made the case public to media after nine months when he was threatened with a death sentence by a prosecutor and went on a hunger strike,  she added. Djalali was sentenced to death in October on espionage charges. Swedish Foreign Minister Margot Wallstrom said at the time:  We will point out that this will affect the relationship with the EU, and this in a time when Iran and the EU need to cooperate, not least with the nuclear deal we have with Iran.  The deal to lift sanctions in return for curbs on Iran s nuclear program was international, but significant U.S. restrictions remained in place. Official confirmation of new arrests sometimes emerges indirectly. Records of a session of the European Parliament in June 2017 showed three Dutch-Iranian nationals were in jail in Iran. Only one case has been reported. Asked about the two unknown cases, Dutch Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Kerremans told Reuters the individuals were  arrested in November 2012 and January 2016 and said government actions were mostly  aimed at ensuring an honest trial, not demanding release .  It is very difficult for the Dutch government to lend support since Iran does not recognize the Dutch nationality of the prisoners, and gives little to no information about them,  she said. In January 2016, then-British Prime Minister David Cameron raised the issue of three dual UK-Iran nationals held in Iranian prisons in a phone call with Iranian President Hassan Rouhani, according to a transcript posted on the Downing Street website. Only two of those cases were known to the public at the time. Contacted for comment, a UK foreign ministry spokesman declined to specify how many British-Iranian dual nationals had been arrested. London raised all cases with Iran at every available opportunity, he said. Nazanin Zaghari-Ratcliffe, an Iranian-British aid worker employed by the Thomson Reuters Foundation, was arrested in April 2016 while on holiday in Iran and later charged with plotting to overthrow Iran s clerical establishment. The foundation and her family have repeatedly denied the accusations.  The only thing that as a family we can do is to point out the injustice of this,  said her husband Richard Ratcliffe. He and others said this week that Foreign Minister Boris Johnson had made inaccurate comments about her to members of parliament that had been seized on by the Iranian judiciary and used to frame her. Johnson had said,  she was simply teaching people journalism.  He subsequently said  the UK government has no doubt that she was on holiday in Iran  and that his comments  could have been clearer .  My point was that I disagreed with the Iranian view that training journalists was a crime, not that I wanted to lend any credence to Iranian allegations that Mrs Zaghari-Ratcliffe had been engaged in such activity,  he said. In 2016, Iran released five U.S. citizens in a prisoner exchange as the nuclear deal was implemented. One remained behind and six American citizens or permanent residents have been arrested since, their lawyers or relatives have told media, of whom one has been freed on bail. A U.S. State Department official confirmed three cases, did not comment on two others and mentioned another detainee, Nizar Zakka, saying he was unjustly held and calling for his release without clarifying his U.S. status. Asked for more details about Zakka and other detained US citizens and legal residents, the official said the safety and security of U.S. citizens abroad was a top priority, adding:  Due to privacy considerations, we have no further comment.  In an October 25 letter to the U.N. Secretary General seen by Reuters, Zakka s lawyer Jason Poblete said his client was a U.S. permanent resident and  is being held as a hostage, as are other innocent persons, to exact political concessions from the United States and other governments , including on sanctions. For its part, Iran says its nationals are detained unjustly in the West. Kazem Gharibabadi, deputy head of Iran s Council for Human Rights, part of the judiciary, has said more than 56 Iranians are imprisoned in the United States and an unspecified number in other countries.  Some of those are detained under baseless charges, including bypassing sanctions,  he was quoted as saying by state media on Sunday. U.S. Department of Justice spokesman Wyn Hornbuckle declined to comment on Gharibabadi s figure, saying the Justice Department does not track prosecutions by nationality and the U.S. government s Bureau of Prisons does not track how many inmates have Iranian nationality. He said inmates in U.S. federal prison  are serving sentences handed down by federal judges after thorough due process of law . worldnews
exclusive iran revolutionary guards arrest dual nationalslondon reuters iran revolutionary guards arrested least dual nationals past two years mostly spying charges according lawyers diplomats relatives twice many earlier reported local international media the number marks sharp rise since international nuclear deal raised hopes delete west in years number dual nationals detained given time single figures it also points new trend majority arrested since citizenship europe previously detainees iranian americans detainees relatives lawyers said guards using bargaining chips international relations put european firms sought business iran government agreed deal world powers lift sanctions the islamic revolutionary guard corps vast business interests well iran powerful security force criticized government handing contracts foreigners the guards respond several requests comment the iranian government referred reuters judiciary also respond repeated approaches iranian authorities previously denied holding detainees ransom accuse western governments holding iranian charges relatives dual nationals detained iran lawyers western diplomats shared information name date arrest charges condition neither detainees identified citing fear repercussions iran routinely announce arrests charges recognize dual nationals whose rights consular assistance enshrined vienna convention in cases sources said detainees carried espionage arrested second citizenship they explained willingness share details saying kept dark iranian authorities western governments several governments argue maintaining low profile best interests detainees this much guides approach uk government source said dutch foreign ministry spokeswoman dane kerremans said identifying detainees could get prisoners trouble some relatives break silence initial hopes dashed the wife ahmadreza djalali iranian scientist arrested attending conference tehran decided speak february we hopeful would released soon he calling us jail saying officially charged they told would released answering questions vida mehrannia said telephone stockholm i made case public media nine months threatened death sentence prosecutor went hunger strike added djalali sentenced death october espionage charges swedish foreign minister margin wallstrom said time we point affect relationship eu time iran eu need cooperate least nuclear deal iran the deal lift sanctions return curb iran nuclear program international significant restrictions remained place official confirmation new arrests sometimes emerges indirectly records session european parliament june showed three nationals jail iran only one case reported asked two unknown cases dutch foreign ministry spokeswoman kerremans told reuters individuals arrested november january said government actions mostly aimed ensuring honest trial demanding release it difficult dutch government lend support since iran recognize dutch nationality prisoners gives little information said in january prime minister david cameron raised issue three dual nationals held iranian prisons phone call iranian president hassan rouhani according transcript posted downing street website only two cases known public time contacted comment uk foreign ministry spokesman declined specify many dual nationals arrested london raised cases iran every available opportunity said nazanin aid worker employed thomson reuters foundation arrested april holiday iran later charged plotting overthrow iran clerical establishment the foundation family repeatedly denied accusations the thing family point injustice said husband richard ratcliffe he others said week foreign minister boris johnson made inaccurate comments members parliament seized iranian judiciary used frame johnson said simply teaching people journalism he subsequently said uk government doubt holiday iran comments could clearer my point i disagreed iranian view training journalists crime i wanted lend credence iranian allegations mrs engaged activity said in iran released five citizens prisoner exchange nuclear deal implemented one remained behind six american citizens permanent residents arrested since lawyers relatives told media one freed bail a state department official confirmed three cases comment two others mentioned another detainee near aka saying unjustly held calling release without clarifying status asked details aka detained us citizens legal residents official said safety security citizens abroad top priority adding due privacy considerations comment in october letter secretary general seen reuters aka lawyer jason polite said client permanent resident held hostage innocent persons exact political concessions united states governments including sanctions for part iran says nationals detained unjustly west kate gharibabadi deputy head iran council human rights part judiciary said iranian imprisoned united states unspecified number countries some detained baseless charges including bypassing sanctions quoted saying state media sunday department justice spokesman won hornbuckle declined comment gharibabadi figure saying justice department track prosecutions nationality government bureau prisons track many inmates iranian nationality he said inmates federal prison serving sentences handed federal judges thorough due process law worldnews
Your task is to classify the provided input as real or fake news. Label 0 is meant for fake news, Label 1 is for real news. TEXT: Exclusive: Iran's Revolutionary Guards arrest more dual nationalsLONDON (Reuters) - Iran s Revolutionary Guards have arrested at least 30 dual nationals during the past two years, mostly on spying charges, according to lawyers, diplomats and relatives, twice as many as earlier reported by local or international media. The number marks a sharp rise since 2015, when an international nuclear deal raised hopes of detente with the West. In the years before that the number of dual nationals detained at any given time was in single figures. It also points up a new trend as a majority of those arrested since then, 19 out of the 30, have citizenship in Europe. Previously most of the detainees were Iranian Americans. Detainees  relatives and lawyers said the Guards were using them as bargaining chips in international relations and to put off European firms that sought business in Iran after the government agreed the deal with world powers to lift sanctions. The Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps has vast business interests as well as being Iran s most powerful security force and has criticized the government for handing contracts to foreigners. The Guards did not respond to several requests for comment. The Iranian government referred Reuters to the judiciary, which also did not respond to repeated approaches. Iranian authorities have previously denied holding detainees for ransom and accuse Western governments of holding Iranians on trumped-up charges. Relatives of dual nationals detained in Iran, their lawyers and Western diplomats shared information such as name, date of arrest and any charges, on condition neither they nor the detainees were identified, citing fear of repercussions. Iran does not routinely announce arrests or charges and does not recognize dual nationals, whose rights to consular assistance are enshrined in the U.N. Vienna Convention. In all cases, the sources said the detainees had not carried out any espionage and were arrested only because of their second citizenship. They explained their willingness to share details by saying they had been kept in the dark by both the Iranian authorities and Western governments. Several governments argue that maintaining a low profile is in the best interests of the detainees.  This is very much what guides our approach,  a UK government source said. Dutch Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Daphne Kerremans said identifying detainees  could get the prisoners into trouble . Some relatives only break their silence once their initial hopes have been dashed. The wife of Ahmadreza Djalali, a Swedish-based Iranian scientist arrested in 2016 after attending a conference in Tehran, decided to speak out in February.  We were all hopeful that he would be released soon. He was calling us from jail, saying he had not been officially charged. They had told him that he would be released after answering a few questions,  Vida Mehrannia said by telephone from Stockholm.  I made the case public to media after nine months when he was threatened with a death sentence by a prosecutor and went on a hunger strike,  she added. Djalali was sentenced to death in October on espionage charges. Swedish Foreign Minister Margot Wallstrom said at the time:  We will point out that this will affect the relationship with the EU, and this in a time when Iran and the EU need to cooperate, not least with the nuclear deal we have with Iran.  The deal to lift sanctions in return for curbs on Iran s nuclear program was international, but significant U.S. restrictions remained in place. Official confirmation of new arrests sometimes emerges indirectly. Records of a session of the European Parliament in June 2017 showed three Dutch-Iranian nationals were in jail in Iran. Only one case has been reported. Asked about the two unknown cases, Dutch Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Kerremans told Reuters the individuals were  arrested in November 2012 and January 2016 and said government actions were mostly  aimed at ensuring an honest trial, not demanding release .  It is very difficult for the Dutch government to lend support since Iran does not recognize the Dutch nationality of the prisoners, and gives little to no information about them,  she said. In January 2016, then-British Prime Minister David Cameron raised the issue of three dual UK-Iran nationals held in Iranian prisons in a phone call with Iranian President Hassan Rouhani, according to a transcript posted on the Downing Street website. Only two of those cases were known to the public at the time. Contacted for comment, a UK foreign ministry spokesman declined to specify how many British-Iranian dual nationals had been arrested. London raised all cases with Iran at every available opportunity, he said. Nazanin Zaghari-Ratcliffe, an Iranian-British aid worker employed by the Thomson Reuters Foundation, was arrested in April 2016 while on holiday in Iran and later charged with plotting to overthrow Iran s clerical establishment. The foundation and her family have repeatedly denied the accusations.  The only thing that as a family we can do is to point out the injustice of this,  said her husband Richard Ratcliffe. He and others said this week that Foreign Minister Boris Johnson had made inaccurate comments about her to members of parliament that had been seized on by the Iranian judiciary and used to frame her. Johnson had said,  she was simply teaching people journalism.  He subsequently said  the UK government has no doubt that she was on holiday in Iran  and that his comments  could have been clearer .  My point was that I disagreed with the Iranian view that training journalists was a crime, not that I wanted to lend any credence to Iranian allegations that Mrs Zaghari-Ratcliffe had been engaged in such activity,  he said. In 2016, Iran released five U.S. citizens in a prisoner exchange as the nuclear deal was implemented. One remained behind and six American citizens or permanent residents have been arrested since, their lawyers or relatives have told media, of whom one has been freed on bail. A U.S. State Department official confirmed three cases, did not comment on two others and mentioned another detainee, Nizar Zakka, saying he was unjustly held and calling for his release without clarifying his U.S. status. Asked for more details about Zakka and other detained US citizens and legal residents, the official said the safety and security of U.S. citizens abroad was a top priority, adding:  Due to privacy considerations, we have no further comment.  In an October 25 letter to the U.N. Secretary General seen by Reuters, Zakka s lawyer Jason Poblete said his client was a U.S. permanent resident and  is being held as a hostage, as are other innocent persons, to exact political concessions from the United States and other governments , including on sanctions. For its part, Iran says its nationals are detained unjustly in the West. Kazem Gharibabadi, deputy head of Iran s Council for Human Rights, part of the judiciary, has said more than 56 Iranians are imprisoned in the United States and an unspecified number in other countries.  Some of those are detained under baseless charges, including bypassing sanctions,  he was quoted as saying by state media on Sunday. U.S. Department of Justice spokesman Wyn Hornbuckle declined to comment on Gharibabadi s figure, saying the Justice Department does not track prosecutions by nationality and the U.S. government s Bureau of Prisons does not track how many inmates have Iranian nationality. He said inmates in U.S. federal prison  are serving sentences handed down by federal judges after thorough due process of law . worldnews
Your task is to classify the provided input as real or fake news. Label 0 is meant for fake news, Label 1 is for real news. TEXT: exclusive iran revolutionary guards arrest dual nationalslondon reuters iran revolutionary guards arrested least dual nationals past two years mostly spying charges according lawyers diplomats relatives twice many earlier reported local international media the number marks sharp rise since international nuclear deal raised hopes delete west in years number dual nationals detained given time single figures it also points new trend majority arrested since citizenship europe previously detainees iranian americans detainees relatives lawyers said guards using bargaining chips international relations put european firms sought business iran government agreed deal world powers lift sanctions the islamic revolutionary guard corps vast business interests well iran powerful security force criticized government handing contracts foreigners the guards respond several requests comment the iranian government referred reuters judiciary also respond repeated approaches iranian authorities previously denied holding detainees ransom accuse western governments holding iranian charges relatives dual nationals detained iran lawyers western diplomats shared information name date arrest charges condition neither detainees identified citing fear repercussions iran routinely announce arrests charges recognize dual nationals whose rights consular assistance enshrined vienna convention in cases sources said detainees carried espionage arrested second citizenship they explained willingness share details saying kept dark iranian authorities western governments several governments argue maintaining low profile best interests detainees this much guides approach uk government source said dutch foreign ministry spokeswoman dane kerremans said identifying detainees could get prisoners trouble some relatives break silence initial hopes dashed the wife ahmadreza djalali iranian scientist arrested attending conference tehran decided speak february we hopeful would released soon he calling us jail saying officially charged they told would released answering questions vida mehrannia said telephone stockholm i made case public media nine months threatened death sentence prosecutor went hunger strike added djalali sentenced death october espionage charges swedish foreign minister margin wallstrom said time we point affect relationship eu time iran eu need cooperate least nuclear deal iran the deal lift sanctions return curb iran nuclear program international significant restrictions remained place official confirmation new arrests sometimes emerges indirectly records session european parliament june showed three nationals jail iran only one case reported asked two unknown cases dutch foreign ministry spokeswoman kerremans told reuters individuals arrested november january said government actions mostly aimed ensuring honest trial demanding release it difficult dutch government lend support since iran recognize dutch nationality prisoners gives little information said in january prime minister david cameron raised issue three dual nationals held iranian prisons phone call iranian president hassan rouhani according transcript posted downing street website only two cases known public time contacted comment uk foreign ministry spokesman declined specify many dual nationals arrested london raised cases iran every available opportunity said nazanin aid worker employed thomson reuters foundation arrested april holiday iran later charged plotting overthrow iran clerical establishment the foundation family repeatedly denied accusations the thing family point injustice said husband richard ratcliffe he others said week foreign minister boris johnson made inaccurate comments members parliament seized iranian judiciary used frame johnson said simply teaching people journalism he subsequently said uk government doubt holiday iran comments could clearer my point i disagreed iranian view training journalists crime i wanted lend credence iranian allegations mrs engaged activity said in iran released five citizens prisoner exchange nuclear deal implemented one remained behind six american citizens permanent residents arrested since lawyers relatives told media one freed bail a state department official confirmed three cases comment two others mentioned another detainee near aka saying unjustly held calling release without clarifying status asked details aka detained us citizens legal residents official said safety security citizens abroad top priority adding due privacy considerations comment in october letter secretary general seen reuters aka lawyer jason polite said client permanent resident held hostage innocent persons exact political concessions united states governments including sanctions for part iran says nationals detained unjustly west kate gharibabadi deputy head iran council human rights part judiciary said iranian imprisoned united states unspecified number countries some detained baseless charges including bypassing sanctions quoted saying state media sunday department justice spokesman won hornbuckle declined comment gharibabadi figure saying justice department track prosecutions nationality government bureau prisons track many inmates iranian nationality he said inmates federal prison serving sentences handed federal judges thorough due process law worldnews