Roxana Saberi , a 31 year-old Iranian American journalist was arrested in January and tried this week as a spy. Saberi reported for BBC, NPR, and Fox News. She was originally arrested for buying alcohol and then for working a journalist without a valid press card. In less than 2 weeks, she as charged of being a spy, tried by the Revolutionary Court, and sentenced to 8 years in prison for espionage. The evidence of espionage was ever made public. This case is expected to have negative implications for US-Iran relations, especially because Obama has been reaching out to the Islamic Republic. Hilary Clinton said she was "deeply disapointed" by Ms. Saberi's verdict. Reza Saberi, her father believes that Roxana was "weak and frail" and that the interrogators pressured her to get statements they later used against her in court. Ms. Saberi is contemplating going on a hunger strike because of the verdict. The Saberi's believe that her lawyer had not been allowed to argue the defense case adequately. Ms. Saberi's verdict is considered very harsh, even for espionage. Iran authorities have not released details of the charges against her. Public knowledge of Saberi's case is low in Iran, the local media have not reported her trial. 

I found this article to be relevant because we just started studying US-Iran relations, focusing particularly on nuclear weapons. The relationship has been stressed for a long time, and events, such as Ms. Saberi's conviction can have a large impact on the already tension filled relationship. This article left me with many questions: What are the detailed charges? Does the Iranian government have any evidence? Why is her sentence so harsh? Why is this story not being told  by the local media? This story is evocative of something that would happen in the Cold War, when each country suspected each other of having spies. This recent development is not ideal considering the strained relationship and suspicions of the two countries. I hope that Ms. Saberi's innocence is proved and that journalists may continue to do their job without fear of government action.