Iran’s Intelligence Minister, Seyed Mahmoud Alavi, refuses to answer questions about Washington Post reporter Jason Rezaian, who has been imprisoned in Iran since July 2014 and charged with espionage.

In an interview with Iranian state TV on Monday night, Alavi said:

"My opinion about him [Jason Rezaian] might not be the same as other Iranian organizations, which is why I prefer to avoid answering this question."

Alavi also warned that western, Israeli and certain regional countries' spy agencies are attempting to harm Iran:

"They [our enemies] attempt to spy on us in different ways, using journalists and the internet," he said.

"The intelligence services of the US, Israel, Mossad, MI6 and certain regional states are making attempts to challenge the Islamic Republic's security and it is hard for them to see that the sound of blasts is heard in any corner of the world but not in the Islamic Republic and to see that it is a secure island."