Iran opens trial of 3 Americans

Associated Press

TEHRAN, Iran

Two Americans accused of spying appeared in a closed-door Iranian court session Sunday to begin trial after an 18-month detention.

All three — two in person and one in absentia — entered not-guilty pleas during the five-hour hearing, said their lawyer, Masoud Shafiei.

He described the jailed Americans — Shane Bauer and Josh Fattal — as appearing in good health and said they sat next to him during the trial session.

The third American, Bauer’s fianc e, Sarah Shourd, was released in September on $500,000 bail arranged through the Gulf nation of Oman.

The Americans were detained in July 2009 along the Iraqi border.