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Iran says it has arrested 30 people after breaking up a spy network run by the US Central Intelligence Agency.

It said the network had operated out of US diplomatic missions in the Malaysia, Turkey and the UAE.

Iranian spies had been recruited and asked to spy on Iran's research institutes, universities, nuclear programmes and other sites, it added.

Iran occasionally announces the arrest of people allegedly linked to foreign intelligence agencies.

"Due to the massive intelligence and counter-intelligence work by Iranian intelligence agents, a complex espionage and sabotage network linked to America's spy organisation was uncovered and dismantled," an intelligence ministry statement read on state TV said.

"Elite agents of the intelligence ministry in their confrontation with the CIA elements were able to arrest 30 America-linked spies through numerous intelligence and counter-intelligence operations."