Tehran, Dec 14 (DPA) The three US hikers detained in Iran for more than five months on charges of espionage are to be tried, Foreign Minister Manouchehr Mottaki said Monday.
Shane Bauer, Sarah Shourd and Josh Fattal were arrested by Iranian security forces in July near the Iran-Iraq border.

Mottaki told reporters that the case of the three US citizens would be dealt with by the judiciary, a trial be held and verdicts issued without giving further details.

At the time of their arrest, Iran accused the trio of working for pro-Israeli news websites.

US Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton said last month that there was no evidence for the espionage charges and called on Iran to release the three US nationals.