Iran Charges US Journalist With Espionage

The Iranian mullahs are again trying to test President Obama. They've captured an American freelance journalist and are charging her with espionage.

Iran's judiciary has charged detained Iranian-American freelance journalist Roxana Saberi with espionage, the ISNA news agency reported on Wednesday.

ISNA, quoting a judge who is the deputy head of Iran's prosecutor's office, said Saberi had "accepted" the accusation.

Saberi, a 31-year-old Iranian-American born in the United States who has reported for the BBC, NPR and other media, was arrested in late January for working in the Islamic Republic after her press credentials had expired.

"She had been carrying out espionage activities ... under the cover of a journalist ... and she has accepted the accusations," ISNA quoted judge Haddad as saying, giving only his last name.

This isn't the first time that the Iranian regime has charged Americans with espionage. The Alaei brothers remain held by the Iranian mullahs on similar claims, even though both were working to reduce the spread of AIDS in the country.

Forced confessions and invented charges are all part and parcel of the regime's overall approach to confronting the US on as many fronts as possible to see what they can or cannot get away with. Thus far, the Iranians are doing as they please, and no one is willing to put their foot down and stop them, especially President Obama.