political news

The defendants face charges of spying for foreigners, cooperating with Israel and "corruption on Earth", a charge which carries the death sentence.

The Bahai religion is banned by the Islamic revolutionary leadership of Iran which considers it heretical.

The group have been held since their arrest in 2008. The US government has condemned the trial, expressing concern about Iran's treatment of Bahais.

"The United States strongly condemns the Iranian government's decision to commence the espionage trial against seven leaders of the Iranian Bahai community," said US State Department spokesman PJ Crowley.

"We are deeply concerned about Iran's ongoing persecution of Bahais and treatment of other members of religious minorities who continue to be targeted solely on the basis of their beliefs," Mr Crowley added.

Ten people have been arrested in the US for allegedly spying for the Russian government, US officials say.

They were allegedly part of an operation where agents posed as ordinary American citizens, some living together as couples for years.

They are charged with conspiracy to act as unlawful agents of a foreign government, a crime which carries up to five years in prison.

An 11th suspect remains at large, according to the US justice department.

Nine of them are also charged with conspiracy to launder money, which carries a 20-year prison sentence.

Infiltrate'

The US Department of Justice says eight of the suspects allegedly carried out "long-term, 'deep-cover' assignments" on US soil, working in civilian jobs so as not to arouse suspicion.

They were allegedly trained by the Russian Foreign Intelligence Service (SVR) to infiltrate policy-making circles and collect information, according to court papers filed in the US court for the southern district of New York.

Many of the alleged spies, referred to in court papers as "illegals", were given false names and citizenships.

They were told to befriend US officials and send information using various methods to Russian government handlers.

US officials said the spy-ring was discovered in a "multi-year investigation" by FBI agents who posed as Russian handlers and gleamed information from two of the suspects.

The BBC's Kim Ghattas in Washington says it is a story of Cold War era espionage with the tools and technology of the 21st Century.

Investigators say some of the agents had been living under false identities since the early 1990s, using codes and engaging in advanced computer operations, including posting apparently innocent pictures on the internet which contained hidden text.

The FBI also reported observing older techniques, such as money being buried next to a beer-bottle marker and "brush pasts" in parks, where agents swap identical bags as they pass each other.

"You were sent to USA for long-term service trip," says one purported message to two of the suspects that was intercepted by US intelligence.

"Your education, bank accounts, car, house etc - all these serve one goal: fulfil your main mission, ie to search and develop ties in policymaking circles in US and send intels."

The alleged spies were allegedly tasked with becoming "Americanised" to be able to do this, with some pursuing university degrees, holding jobs, and joining relevant professional associations. Some even had children together.

The group allegedly got close to a scientist involved in designing bunker-busting bombs and a top former intelligence official.

Five of the suspects will appear later in a Manhattan federal court - a couple known as "Richard Murphy" and "Cynthia Murphy", who were arrested in Montclair, New Jersey; Vicky Pelaez and a man known as "Juan Lazaro," who were arrested in Yonkers, New York state; and Anna Chapman, who was arrested in Manhattan, New York City.

Another three - Mikhail Semenko and a couple known as "Michael Zottoli" and "Patricia Mills" - will appear in a federal court in Alexandria, Virginia, after being arrested in Arlington, Virginia.

The final two people - a couple known as "Donald Howard Heathfield" and "Tracey Lee Ann Foley" - were arrested in Boston, Massachusetts, and will appear in a federal court in the city.

A suspect known as "Christopher R Metsos" remains at large.

All the suspects except Ms Chapman and Mr Semenko have also been charged with conspiracy to commit money laundering.

Our correspondent says the arrests will come as quite a surprise, as relations between Washington and Moscow have warmed considerably in recent months.

Just last week, Russian President Dmitry Medvedev was in Washington having lunch with President Barack Obama.

It is still unclear how the White House will react or how Russia will explain this, our correspondent adds.