Iran has arrested 30 people it says were engaged in "complex espionage and sabotage network" run by the United States, state media reported. Another 42 CIA operatives officers were supposedly identified.

Spying in Iran can carry the death penalty.

No comment yet from Washington.

More of the statement via Al Jazeera and Press TV:

"Due to the massive intelligence and counterintelligence work by Iranian intelligence agents, a complex espionage and sabotage network linked to America's spy organisation was uncovered and dismantled.

"Elite agents of the intelligence ministry in their confrontation with the CIA elements were able to arrest 30 America-linked spies through numerous intelligence and counterintelligence operations."

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 particularly "the United Arab Emirates, Turkey and Malaysia."

The spy network worked under the cover of labour recruitment agencies, the statement posted on Mehr's website said. "The elites, educated and naive people were recruited to get visas, residency permits, education abroad and employment," it said.