US President Donald Trump denied in Monday Iran’s claims that it had busted a CIA spy ring and arrested 17 suspects linked to the US intelligence agency.
"Just more lies and propaganda (like their shot down drone) put out by a Religious Regime that is Badly Failing and has no idea what to do,” he tweeted.
"The report of Iran capturing CIA spies is totally false. Zero truth," he said.
"Their Economy is dead, and will get much worse. Iran is a total mess!" Trump added.
Earlier Monday a top Iranian counter-intelligence official told local reporters that the 17 suspects were all Iranians working in "sensitive centers" and the private sector who had acted independently of each other.
Some have been tried and sentenced to death.
The CIA had no immediate comment, and usually refuses to comment on reports of its covert agents and informants falling under arrest or being killed in the field.
Iran’s announcement came after Washington said it had shot down an Iranian drone, which Tehran denied.
US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo also cast doubt on the arrests in a television interview earlier on Monday, saying, “The Iranian regime has a long history of lying.”
