Iran has arrested several Iranians holding dual nationality in what has been seen as a new round of intimidation targeting people connected to foreign circles and businesses. Abbas Jafari Dolatabadi, Tehran’s state prosecutor, said on Tuesday that a dual national whose “activities were in the economic sector” was arrested last week for alleged links to Britain’s intelligence services. He gave no further details but the arrest followed the detention last month of two leading figures in Iran’s art business, apparently for socialising with foreign diplomats and allegedly having alcohol at their home.
Analysts who back reform in the Islamic republic say the arrests are part of power struggles in the regime that have escalated since Iran reached a historic agreement with world powers to scale back its nuclear programme a year ago. Hassan Rouhani, the centrist president, has been attempting to use the deal to attract much-needed foreign investment to revive the lacklustre economy and end the Islamic republic’s isolation. He will seek a second term at presidential elections in May and needs to prove the nuclear accord has delivered benefits.