French intelligence agents played big role in Masha Amini protests: Iran

Iran has claimed that several French intelligence agents were arrested in relation to protests in Iran as anti-government demonstrations persist throughout the country.

"People of other nationalities were arrested in the riots, some of whom played a big role. There were elements from the French intelligence agency and they will be dealt with according to the law," Iranian Interior Minister Iran Ahmad Vahidi told a state-run TV on Wednesday.

France's foreign ministry did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

Tehran has repeatedly accused that there are external elements of trying to stoke the nationwide protests. 

France's Foreign Minister Catherine Colonna said last week that a total of seven French nationals were detained in Iran. 

France had earlier urged its nationals to leave Iran as soon as possible, saying they were exposed to the risk of arbitrary detentions.

On September 16 Masha Amini, a 22-year-old Iranian woman died in the custody after her arrest for an alleged breach of Iran's strict dress code for women.

READ MORE: Tensions continue in Iran's southeast as more policemen killed

Second death sentence

Meanwhile, Iran has issued a second death sentence in three days and clashes killed at least six people as protests entered the third month.

The judiciary said a revolutionary court on Tuesday handed down the second death sentence.

The unnamed defendant was accused of "terrorising people in the street using a bladed weapon, setting fire to the motorcycle of a citizen, and attacking a person with a knife", its Mizan Online website reported.

Five others have been sentenced to prison terms of between five and 10 years for "gathering and conspiring to commit crimes against national security and disturbing public order", Mizan said.

It came three days after a court issued the first death sentence in connection with the protest movement.

READ MORE: EU set to pile more sanctions on Iran over violent crackdown on protesters