(Image Source: Press TV)

BY TRACY PFEIFFER

ANCHOR JIM FLINK

You're watching multisource world news analysis from Newsy.

In Iran -- officials say they’ve arrested 30 people allegedly connected to a U.S.-spy network.

They also say they’ve identified 42 CIA operatives connected to the supposed ring.

ANCHOR: “Iran’s secret service says its agents uncovered activities of a CIA-run espionage network that sought to recruit Iranian spies through U.S. diplomatic missions. The report didn’t provide further details, but claimed the recruits had been asked to spy on Iran’s research institutes -- universities, nuclear programs, and other sites.”

And straight from the horse’s mouth -- Iran’s state-run Press TV reports, it was an international affair.

“The spies had also gathered detailed information about the ‘oil and gas pipelines, telecommunication and electricity networks, airports and customs, the security of the banking and communication systems,’ by using ‘US embassies and consulates in several countries.’”

But U.S. media outlets are more cautious about the story. CNN reports -- Iran has accused the U.S. of using covert operations against its regime many times before.

“Last year, for example, police arrested several suspects allegedly connected to the CIA, Israel's Mossad and the British M-16 who were behind ‘recent terrorist attacks’ targeting Iranian nuclear scientists, Iranian media reported.”

But as the saying goes -- just because you’re paranoid, doesn’t mean they aren’t after you. Al Jazeera reports, whether the actual network was real or not -- there’s evidence supporting Iran’s claims.

“Diplomatic cables published by the WikiLeaks website showed the US operated information-gathering desks on Iran in neighbouring countries where diplomats would seek to glean intelligence from travelling Iranians.”

U.S. government officials have been mum about the uncovering-- and the nationalities of those arrested remains unclear. In Iran, spying carries the death penalty.