U.S. CITIZEN TO APPEAL IRAN VERDICT - AT 9:07 A.M. ET:

TEHRAN (Reuters) - Jailed Iranian-American journalist Roxana Saberi has appealed against her eight-year sentence for spying against Iran, the official IRNA news agency said on Tuesday.

Saberi, 31, was sentenced on Saturday on charges of spying for the United States, in a verdict that could complicate Washington's efforts toward reconciliation with the Islamic Republic after three decades of mutual mistrust.

"Saberi has appealed and I hope that the appeal court will change the verdict," IRNA quoted judiciary spokesman Alireza Jamshidi as saying.

COMMENT:  Looks like a stunt.  My hunch is that she was arrested so she can be released later in a grand gesture of "good will."  Don't buy it.

Oh, by the way, I want to refer readers to a great source of information about Iran, Iran Press News. Banafsheh Zand-Bonazzi, who has given us many great tips about events in Iran, is now providing skilled translations for that service, and it's well worth visiting.  It's here.

April 21, 2009