Iranian state television on Monday said the country's Revolutionary Court has sentenced an Iranian man to death after convicting him of spying for Israel. The report identified the man as Ali Ashtari, a 45-year-old salesman who worked for a company supplying electronic devices to military, security and defense firms and facilities around Iran.

State TV quoted an unidentified Iranian official on its web site as saying that Ashtari relayed sensitive information on Iran's military, defense and research centers to Israeli intelligence officers. The official quoted by state TV added Ashtari tried to "create a link" between Iranian experts and Israeli intelligence agents. According to IRNA, investigation about Ashtari's case has ended last Saturday.

Ashtari, who was arrested in 2007, has 20 days to appeal the conviction and sentence.