Iranian media published pictures on Monday purportedly showing "CIA officers" who were in touch with a group of spying suspects arrested in Iran.

Iran has captured 17 spies working for the U.S. Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) and some have been sentenced to death, Iranian media reported on Monday.

They were arrested during the Iranian calendar year that ended in March 2019, according to an Intelligence Ministry statement read on state television.

In June Iran announced it had broken up a CIA spy ring. It was unclear whether Monday's announcement was linked to the same case.