Former Energy Minister Pleads Guilty To Spying For Iran

A former Israeli energy minister has plead guilty to spying for Iran, reports the Jerusalem Post.

On Wednesday, Gonen Segev, who served as energy and infrastructure minister from 1995 to 1996, was convicted by the Jerusalem District Court of spying for Iran in a plea bargain. 

A sentencing hearing has been scheduled for Feb. 11. Prosecutors said they would seek an 11-year sentence.
 
Segev, who until recently lived in Nigeria, was arrested while entering Equatorial Guinea in May 2018. 

He initially met with Iranian intelligence agents in 2012 and later provided them with details of Israeli energy sites, said prosecutors cited by Ynetnews (Israel). 

Segev allegedly provided information on Israel's energy infrastructure, security facilities and military and political officials, reported i24 News. He told interrogators that he did not provide any classified information to his Iranian handlers.

The former energy minister initially denied the allegations and later said that he had been trying to obtain intelligence for the benefit of Israel.