Washington (CNN) The former CIA officer accused of disclosing the details of a covert operation to a New York Times reporter was convicted Monday in federal court, according to reports.

Jeffrey Sterling was convicted on nine felony counts of unauthorized disclosure of national defense information, according to The Washington Post , after allegedly leaking classified information about a top secret CIA operation to undermine Iran's nuclear program to New York Times reporter James Risen.

"This is a just and appropriate outcome," U.S. Attorney General Eric Holder said in a statement. "The defendant's unauthorized disclosures of classified information compromised operations undertaken in defense of America's national security. The disclosures placed lives at risk."

FBI Director James Comey said Sterling, "violated his sworn duty to protect our nation's secrets and he betrayed our country."

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