Washington Post journalist Jason Rezaian has been detained in Iran for eight months and faces trial for 'security charges' unspecified by the government . A Washington Post journalist who has been detained in Iran for eight months has been accused of 'espionage' and 'acting against national security', according to an Iranian news agency. Iranian officials announced in January that Jason Rezaian, who is the Post's Tehran bureau chief, would stand trial before the country's Revolutionary Court to face 'security charges', but did not elaborate what those charges were. The Fars news agency did not reveal the source for their information, but the agency is considered to be close to the ultra conservative Iran hard-liners. The report alleges that Rezaian, 39, obtained economic and industrial information from the country and then sold it to unnamed Americans. Rezaian was also linked to Omid Memarian, a US-based Iranian opposition journalist, in the report. Fars claimed that 'selling Iran's economic and industrial information at a time of sanctions is exactly like selling food at a time of war'. Iran is subject to sanctions from the U.S, Europe and the United Nations due to its nuclear program. In the Washington Post, executive editor Martin Baron called the allegations a 'farce and a sham'. 'Seven months have passed without Iranian legal authorities publicly outlining the allegations against Jason,' he said. 'Now we have someone outside the judiciary system making outlandish allegations that come with no evidence. This isn't justice.' Leila Ahsan, Rezaian's lawyer, would not comment on the specific charges that have been brought against her client but said she has studied the text of the indictment and will brief his family in the upcoming days. Ashan said she visited the journalist in prison last month and that he appeared to be 'in good health and spirits'. 'I can see him anytime,' she said. 'Jason asked me to provide a strong defense. I'm in constant touch with his wife and family. I've requested that the court hold the trial as soon as possible.' An Iranian news agency considered to be close to Iran hard-liners claims that Rezaian (pictured with his wife Yaganeh Salehi) has been accused of 'espionage' and 'acting against national security' Rezaian and his wife, Iranian-born Yeganeh Salehi, were taken from their Tehran home on July 22 and detained with two photojournalists. All were released except for American-born Rezaian, who  has dual citizenship that is not recognized by Iran. Rezaian was not allowed to hire a lawyer until seven months after he was first arrested. His family was also not permitted from hiring Masoud Shafiei, who was their first choice for Rezaian's attorney because of his experience with representing imprisoned foreigners and dual citizens. Shafiei was forbidden from taking the case by the judiciary for unspecified reasons, according to the New York Times. Last month President Barack Obama called on the Iranian government to immediately release Rezaian as well as two other detained Americans, Saeed Abedini and Amir Hekmati.
Fars News Agency alleges that Jason Rezaian sold economic and industrial information he obtained from Iran to Americans . Government officials said in January that Rezaian, 39, would stand trial for unspecified 'security charges' Rezaian was taken from his Tehran home on July 22 and was not permitted to hire a lawyer until last month .